A Sunset of Red and Blue
by aymeria
Summary: A collection of Jerza one shot stories varying in themes and ratings and which could be interpreted as fluffy, angsty and potentially humorous. [M for language] [featuring Crime Sorciere] STARTING with 'Too Good to be True' where Crime Sorciere takes Jellal and Erza's relationship into their own hands...
1. Too Good to be True

**A/N: Hey guys! I decided to start a collection of one shots revolving around Jellal and Erza. All the stories in here will be individual, under 3k with varying themes and ratings! If I ever write a story longer than that, I'll post it separately.**

 **ANYWAY...I've seen _this particular prompt_ on tumblr so many times and because it makes me laugh, I decided to try putting my own spin on it. Putting my favourite characters in awkward situations is just too much fun. I promise it's not as cheesy as it first comes across! Well, I hope you enjoy reading this and the other pieces to come.**

* * *

 **Title: Too Good to be True  
Rating: T  
Summary: He and his guild had a love/hate relationship.**

* * *

 _"Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous red head." - Lucille Ball_

* * *

 **Too Good to be True**

The sky was painted with a blend of different colours: orange, pink, yellow, violet and his favourite of them all: red.

His back leaning against the trunk of a willow tree, he let his eyes wander to her, a tender smile playing on his lips. Erza Scarlet was folding away a checkered picnic blanket, her sundress swaying in the wind and her crimson hair flying behind her like threads loosened from the raging sunset behind her.

"All done!" she said, flashing a smile at Jellal before getting to her feet and smoothing out the creases of her sundress. Running a hand through her windswept hair, she made her way towards him and crouched down beside him, their shoulders brushing. "That was a wonderful picnic. I'll have to ask Meredy for that strawberry cake recipe."

He exhibited a low chuckle, wrapping an arm around her and drawing her close to him. Together, they watched the tree's low, drooping branches sway in the wind peacefully, creating a sort of falling canopy around them.

Jellal closed his eyes, calm, at peace. He'd have to thank Meredy for this perfect afternoon with Erza. She'd cunningly planned a picnic for the two of them, not bothering to tell him about it until the last minute.

She had shown up in his room, her pink ponytail bouncing from side to side at the back of her head as she jumped up and down on the spot, squealing about how she _may_ just have told a certain armour mage that Jellal would meet her at the top of Willow Hill in the outskirts of Magnolia.

At first, he was sceptical, squinting at her in suspicion, but then she had laughed cheerily, shoving a woven picnic basket into his arms before pulling him to his feet to fix his hair with precise fingers. Meredy then ushered him out of their small guild, waving encouragingly before proceeding to slam the door behind him.

Before he knew it, he was stood at the top of Willow hill staring at none other than Erza Scarlet.

"What are you thinking about?" a gentle voice said, snapping him out of his reverie.

Jellal glanced down to see Erza looking up at him, her brown eyes watching him closely. "Nothing," he said, flashing her a warm smile, "I was just thinking about how great this afternoon has been."

She hummed in contentment, leaning closer to place a slender hand against his chest. "I agree." Tracing patterns against his shirt, her voice grew quiet as she softly murmured, "I didn't know how long it would be until I'd get to see you again."

"Time is never on our side, is it?" he replied, laughing bitterly.

Erza tilted herself forward, close enough to him that their noses almost touched and her soft hair tickled his cheek. Her eyes were half-lidded as she leaned over him, her hand reaching up to brush a stray lock of blue from his face. "Believe me when I say that waiting for you was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

He believed her. He knew the feeling all too well himself.

Eyes shut, one hand on his shoulder, the other pressed against his chest, she edged closer to him as Jellal watched with widening hazel eyes.

It was happening again. If he was to close his eyes now, he would almost be able to hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and the feel of the slight breeze picking up his hair.

He could have kissed Erza that day, let everything out into the open. He could do the same now too.

There was never anything to _say_. Her mouth soft under his own would fill the silence slowly like a speech and all his fervent thoughts would speak for themselves if he kissed her now.

His heart pounding as if it was about to jump out of his chest at any moment, he wondered whether she could feel it racing underneath her palm too. All too suddenly, he became very aware of her hands on him, nearing closer and closer, her breath ghosting over his lips and _dammit, why wasn't he kissing her?_

"Erza?"

There was always something stopping him. He was always running away.

"Erza," he whispered again, leaning back further and swallowing hard.

Oblivious to his body shifting, Erza toppled over him, her breath hitching in her throat at the sudden movement. Arms clutched tightly around each other, they rolled down the hill with surprised gasps and grunts, only to reach steady ground with a heavy thud, Jellal pinning her down, gazes locked.

His eyes widened at the sight of her, roaming over her features slowly, leisurely, as if memorising every small detail. Her hair fanned out underneath her like stray ribbons, she smiled up at him through half-lidded eyes, a light blush colouring her cheeks.

Tenderly, her hand reached up to touch, her fingers stroking his cheek. "Well, isn't this familiar?" she mused in a soft voice that would have pulled him in entirely, had it not been for the strong sense that something seemed off about the whole situation he had found himself in _._

 _If he was to close his eyes now, he would almost be able to hear the sound of the waves crashing against the shore and the feel of the slight breeze picking up his hair._

Jellal blinked at her, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He blinked again. "You're right…" he muttered, removing himself from on top of her to sit back against the grass dazedly. "This _is_ familiar. A little _too_ familiar."

He recognised the picture before him just like anyone would recognise an event that haunted their thoughts on a regular basis. It was all so clear, the realisation hitting him like a tonne of bricks. How had he not anticipated this?

Jellal sighed heavily, looking up to the sky with a weary expression etched onto his face. "Macbeth? _Macbeth?"_ he yelled, tipping his head back and groaning in annoyance. "MIDNIGHT!"

"Oooh, you know it's serious when he calls you _Midnight,_ " a familiar voice echoed through him, causing him to run a hand down his face tiredly.

 _Damn his guild, damn them all._

All at once, the scene faded away. The glorious sunset, the willow tree, the greenery and the scarlet haired woman lying in front of him all disappeared. Instead, he found himself sat on the hardwood floor of the Crime Sorciere guild hall.

Jellal scanned the room, pausing at each and every face of his fellow guild members before he closed his eyes, unable to look at their smug expressions for any longer. He sighed in a feeble attempt to calm himself down, except his breath still came out uneven and disgruntled. "Exactly _what_ is going on?!"

Sawyer was the first to speak, his sneer taking up almost as much room on his face as his nose as he flung another handful of popcorn into his mouth. "Aw, come on, Jellal. You spoiled the fun! It was _just_ getting to the good part!"

Meanwhile, beside him was Richard, his eyes gleaming with tears of joy as he rambled on about 'childhood sweethearts' and 'long lasting love'. Jellal cringed at the sight, wishing for the first time in his life that he could swap his heavenly body magic for _something that would get him the hell out of there as fast as humanly possible._ Why couldn't they stay out of the personal affairs of his life?

"That was pathetic, Jellal," a shrill voice said, and turning his gaze towards the source of the voice, his eyes met a blend of white hair and feathers. Sorano rolled her eyes at him, making an irritated sound. "Tch. She was leaning into you and you moved away. Do you know _anything_ at all about women?"

Meredy sighed. "See what I mean? _This_ is why we need to practice and get it right before the real thing happens."

At her words, everyone hummed in agreement, nodding at Meredy like she'd just spoken true words of wisdom. He was surely losing his mind…since when was _Meredy_ the pillar of knowledge and guidance in their guild?

Surely, this was not happening.

"What?" Jellal demanded, resting a hand against his face and sighing defeatedly. "That whole afternoon was just an illusion, wasn't it? One of yours, I'm presuming, Macbeth?"

Macbeth ignored the accusing glare, nodding with pride. "You seemed satisfied enough. Was it to your liking, Jellal?"

"I ATE THAT FOOD, MACBETH."

"You almost kissed an imaginary woman too." Meredy giggled, her cheeks flushing pink as she struggled to stifle a laugh.

Jellal shot a glare in her direction. Out of all his guild, he expected her to side with him, at least.

Sorano rolled her eyes, looking at Jellal like he was something she'd found stuck to the bottom of her feathered high heel. "He could have gotten a lot more than a kiss if we went with what _I_ was suggesting."

"I don't even want to know—"

"Yeah!" Meredy jumped up, waving her hands excitedly. "Oh Jellal, Juvia told me how Erza has this _seduction armour_ —"

Jellal spurted everywhere, bright in the face. "Wh-wh-WHAT?"

"Please, he ain't getting anywhere near that thing if he continues on like this," Erik said, throwing a lazy arm around Jellal's shoulders before chuckling darkly. "Well? When you gonna grow some balls and tell her how you feel, Jellal? You ain't gettin' any younger."

"Again with this? I told you, I don't need any of you interfering—"

"'Course you do," Sawyer drawled, shaking his head at the blue haired mage with feigned disappointment. "Oh Jellal…what we gonna do with you, huh? Mac, show him the recording of the picnic illusion."

"You recorded it? _How_ did you even manage to—"

"Hey, stop complaining." Sorano shot a stern glare in his direction. "Just be glad we didn't go with _my_ idea in the end. Otherwise, we could all be watching a very different recording together which I don't think either you or Erza would appreciate."

"Think of this like a class, Jellal," Meredy said, smiling fondly at him. "A class on how to get the girl, who in this case, is of course Erza Scarlet. We need to analyse where you went wrong so when the moment comes up again, you don't mess it up like you did just before the Grand Magic Games."

Sorano clicked her tongue. "Imaginary fiancée, remember? Needless to say, you're failing this class miserably."

"Okay…" Meredy pulled out a notepad from inside her cloak, clicking the pen and looking to her fellow guild members expectantly. "So, any suggestions as to why he's _still_ rejecting her despite being hopelessly in love with her? Erik, you first. What do you think?"

"I think his balls are as blue as his hair."

"Noted," Meredy replied, jotting something down in spite of Jellal's raging protests. "Any other reasons?"

"Shower isn't hot enough to wash away his sins?"

"Destined to end up alone forever?"

"Gets a kick out of feeling sorry for himself?"

As the guild erupted in suggestions, Jellal threw his head in his hands, sighing deeply. Maybe his atonement was being stuck with a guild that loved to embarrass him to no end.


	2. A New Place to Stay

**A/N: This is _kind of_ like a continuation from the last fic! During the time skip, Erza was in contact with Crime Sorciere and I like to think that she stayed with them for the year.**

 **Quick thank you for all your comments and love! I appreciate it a lot. Take care and enjoy the story, guys!**

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 **Title: A New Place to Stay**  
 **Rating: M for language  
Summary: Erza Scarlet finds a home in Crime Sorciere.**

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 _"She took a step and didn't want to take any more, but she did." - Markus Zusak_

* * *

 **A New Place to Stay**

The path she walked along was a lonely one. She'd gotten so used to her friends' company whilst travelling, it was almost strange to be heading somewhere without them following behind.

Erza Scarlet wandered down the road aimlessly, one hand clutching a yellow note whilst her other hand pulled along an overflowing luggage cart. It should be around here somewhere…

She knew it wouldn't be easy to find Crime Sorciere. After all, the guild belonged to a group of escaped convicts who liked to play hide and seek with the justice system. As a result, they tended to relocate very often.

Pausing in her tracks, Erza sighed heavily, opening the note for what must have been the fiftieth time now and scanning it thoroughly. she was fortunate enough to gain _some_ information on Crime Sorciere's current location through one of Juvia and Meredy's acquaintances, though this stroke of luck didn't seem to be working in her favour.

She squinted at the scrawled writing, her blood boiling with impatience. Did it read 'at the _gate'_ or 'at the _lake_ '? This handwriting was atrocious. Absentmindedly, she made a mental note to herself. If she ever ran into that informant again, they would surely feel the wrath of her purgatory armour for making this a thousand times more difficult than it already was. Scrunching up the note in defeat, Erza continued along her course, just hoping against hope that either a lake or gate would make its way into her line of vision eventually.

It was another cloudless day, the sun shining high in the sky and showering her skin with warmth. Dotted all around her were trees bearing bright green leaves, casting shadows on the path in bizarre shapes and sizes. On any other day, she would have truly enjoyed this great weather. But not today.

Fairy Tail had disbanded. The idea seemed ridiculous, yet it was true. All her friends, her family, were going their separate ways and she was left drifting around Fiore alone like a ghost. When Master Makarov had announced the news, the first thing Erza had felt was shock. Next, as she stood outside Fairy Hills with all her luggage in tow, she wondered whether the feeling in the pit of her stomach was sadness or emptiness as realisation dawned on her.

She had nowhere else to go. There was no other place in this world that she could truly call home and that thought scared her like no opponent she'd faced had ever done so before.

Scrunching up her eyes, Erza could make out something in the distance, through the shroud of trees—there was a small building hidden behind the woods, seemingly marked with a very familiar looking symbol. She could just about make out the guild emblem and upon seeing it, a surge of relief rushed through her. _At last._

Her heart hammering in anticipation, she tugged her luggage towards what could potentially be her new guild, and her thoughts couldn't help but bump into her old guild mates with a certain reminiscence, their smiles flashing in her mind like a filmstrip from an old movie. A certain pink haired boy tackling an ice mage to the ground, a flying cat nibbling on a fish, a blonde girl laughing with glee—a faint smile on her lips, she wondered what they were all doing right now.

Nearing the guild doors, her mind was now a bundle of nerves as she slowly reached for the door handle. Even from outside, she could hear them all laughing and talking loudly. One voice stood out from the rest though. A voice as familiar as a distant call from home. A warm smile graced her features as she pushed the guild doors open.

She was confident in her decision, she had to be.

The guild hall was small but so was the guild itself. The walls were painted a light blue, all bare aside from one sporting a bulletin board with a diagram of all the known dark guilds in Fiore. At the far end of the hall was a small snack bar where Meredy stood, her head tilted to the side and bewilderment etched onto her pretty face. The other six members were scattered around the room, some perched on bar stools and some sat around tables, though all eyes were on her now.

Naturally, her own eyes searched for a shock of blue hair first and before she knew it, her seeking gaze had locked with his steady one. It always felt like it had been much too long whenever she saw that familiar face of his: red tattoo etched above and below his right eye, blue hair falling into his eyes framing his handsome face, lips tugging up at the side in a half smirk—it hit her all too suddenly: she had missed him.

"Erza?"

"It's been a while, Jellal."

The last time she had heard his voice was just after Tartaros had been defeated. As she had stood by the river's edge and contemplated her current situation, her mind reliving the memories over and over again like a reoccurring nightmare, he had told her not to stray from the path of light. Lifting her gaze to search for the source of the voice, she had seen him stood with a group of cloaked figures who all looked very familiar: the Oracion Seis.

She had smiled at the sight, hope illuminating her thoughts. A path of light always awaited her and this time, it had led her back to him.

Jellal's face broke out in a warm smile as he slowly rose to his feet. "It's great to see you—" he said, before blinking at her, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He whipped his head towards Macbeth to glare at him suspiciously. "Macbeth…"

The mage previously known as Midnight rolled his eyes at Jellal, a small smile creeping on his lips. "Not an illusion. Not this time, no."

"Holy crap," Sawyer said, dumbfounded. "It's really her…"

Meanwhile, Erik chuckled smugly to himself, his arms folded behind his head as he tipped himself back on his chair. "I thought I heard her coming. Guess I was right."

"And it didn't occur to you to mention this?" a sharp voice hissed, smacking him over the head angrily.

"Oi! Sorano! Keep your hands to yourself, would ya!"

"YOU _KNOW_ HE'S NOT READY YET!"

"Do not fight!" Richard bellowed, fresh tears streaming down his face as he brought his hands together in a pleading gesture. "This is an occasion of love to celebrate, not to tarnish with your silly fighting!"

Erza arched a brow, dragging her luggage cart in behind her to glance at the two mages arguing curiously. "Ready for what?"

Jellal shot the pair a murderous glare that hissed _'shut up now or I will kick both your asses to the heavens and back'_ before setting his lips in a smile again. Sometimes, he wondered if his guildmates purposely made a daily effort to embarrass him. It honestly wouldn't surprise him anymore, what with all the lectures on how to handle his love life, since he, apparently, had no idea what he was doing.

Laughing lightly, he made his way over to Erza, arms folded and eyebrows raised at the overflowing luggage she was pulling in with her. "My, my…you're not just here to pay a visit, are you?"

She sighed, hiding behind a curtain of crimson hair. "Fairy Tail has disbanded," she said softly, her voice still tinged with disbelief at the thought of something like that actually happening. "The guild was my home. I realised I don't have any other place to call home." She flicked her gaze up to his to see gentle hazel eyes and a light blush coloured her cheeks as she smiled faintly at him. "But then I remembered, after all, there was _you_."

Jellal's face softened, his voice barely a whisper as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "In that case, why don't you stay with us for a while?"

"WHY DON'T YOU STAY WITH US FOREVER?" a bright voice chirped and Meredy sprung into view, all pink hair and giggles.

Erza laughed as Meredy threw herself into her arms, hugging the armour mage tightly and practically squeezing the last bundle of nerves out of her.

As Meredy pulled away, Erza felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Jellal wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him and bringing his mouth close to her ear to murmur, "I don't believe you've properly been introduced to the rest of the guild…"

* * *

The bedroom wasn't very spacious but she didn't mind. Though it took her a while to haul all her luggage in with the help of Richard and Meredy, she was already beginning to take a liking to this new guild. Of course, it would never replace Fairy Tail, but she could see herself turning this place into one with fond memories too. After all, Jellal was with her.

As she unzipped another suitcase and tipped the contents out onto her bed, she heard a soft rap on the door.

Jellal Fernandes stood leaning into the doorframe, an amused smile playing on his lips as he folded his arms and regarded her with a nod. "Comfortable?"

"Very. It's a lovely room."

He edged closer to her, scratching his head and eyeing the space around them wearily. "I know it doesn't compare to your room back in Fairy Hills but—"

"No, no." She flashed him a warm smile, the sight making his heart constrict in his chest. "I'm very grateful. Thank you, Jellal."

"You know it's no problem at all," he murmured, and he couldn't help but return the smile she was giving him.

Erza hummed in disapproval, chewing her lip uncertainly. "Hmm…but what about you?"

The guild was small, that was a well-known fact. With only four bedrooms to spare, it meant Meredy and Sorano had to share, as did Richard and Sawyer while Midnight slept on a floating carpet in the guild hall. Jellal and Erik had been the lucky ones this time round as they got their own bedrooms.

However, they did have to listen to the continuous complaints of their other guild members so it wasn't all happy days. Meredy apparently talked very loudly in her sleep, Sorano was an early bird who liked to sing as she readied herself in the morning, Richard snored like _'a fucking banshee'_ and Sawyer had a terrible habit of sleep walking—more like sleep running—around the room in the middle of the night.

And because Jellal was practically the master of their guild _and_ because they felt he didn't suffer enough already, he had to listen to their endless rants about each other. Erik, on the other hand, was gifted but also cursed with impeccable hearing which led to him having no choice in the matter when it came to their never-ending ramblings.

Now, due to Erza's arrival, Jellal had kindly given up his own room for her, much to the horror of Erik and the smugness of the other guild members who relished in the fact that he and Erik no longer had any extra benefits.

"Don't worry about me," Jellal said indifferently. "I'll be shacking up with Erik for a while."

"YOU'LL BE DOIN' WHAT NOW?!" An indignant roar came from the next room, startling them both.

Erza watched Jellal doubtfully, arching a brow. "Hmm…he doesn't seem very excited about that."

Jellal rolled his eyes. "He doesn't mind. He's actually quite ecstatic about the whole thing."

" _Right_. As you say then…" Her cheeks tinted a light pink as she cleared her throat, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Though, you could always sleep here with me. I don't mind sharing a room with you and there's plenty of space for the two of us. It's the least I can do considering this _is_ your room."

"OI, BLUE BALLS. KEEP YOUR PERVY FANTASIES TO YOURSELF, WOULD YA? DID YOU FORGET I CAN HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS?" Erik yelled from the next room in a taunting voice that made Jellal's stomach drop.

His cheeks flamed like wildfire as he whipped his gaze away from hers, feeling the heat spread to his ears and neck. Angrily, he made a mental note to kick that nosy snake's ass once he left this room. "Err, I didn't—I wasn't thinking that you—Erik just likes to irritate me."

Erza squinted at him. "I see…"

"Well, I'll leave you to unpack the rest of your belongings," he quickly said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck before backing out of the doorway to escape and _throttle_ his so called comrade.

Didn't he realise his childish crusade had to come to an end now that Erza was actually living with them? He couldn't carry on teasing him in this way with her here, in the next room even.

Storming down the narrow hallway, Jellal clenched his fists in mounting fury, reaching out to knock down Erik's door—

"I heard you coming," Erik sneered, swinging the door open to smirk darkly at his visitor.

Jellal grunted angrily, pushing Erik inside and slamming the door shut behind him before exploding. "ERIK, WHY WOULD YOU—?"

"I never took you as one to have such dirty thoughts, blue balls. You know, they say it's always the ones you least expect…"

"I didn't have any such thoughts and you're entirely aware of that. You're just going out of your way to embarrass me in front of Erza!"

Erik made a disapproving noise, clicking his tongue and cocking his head to the side. His lips quirked up in a wolfish grin.

The best thing about being able to hear everything was for everyone to _know_ that he could hear everything. That meant he could have a little fun of his own, because no one could ever prove that he was lying and making things up. Erik could easily place a little white lie here, a little white lie there and there'd be no difference from the truth. That was his talent after all: listening to other people's private thoughts. Whether they were actually thinking that or not—well, that was his decision to reveal.

"Tch, like I ain't got nothin' better to do. And by the way…not a chance in _hell_ I'm sharing a room with a sicko like _you_ —"

Jellal scrunched up his fists in Erik's dark cloak as the other man's smile stretched even wider across his face. "I swear, Cobra—"

"I CAN HEAR YOU TOO," a clear voice rang out through the walls.

Jellal's grip loosened on Erik and his arms fell slack to his sides, the colour draining from his face. He cursed quietly under his breath.

Curse the thinness of the walls.

Curse Erza just being in the next room.

Curse this sly sharp toothed bastard—

Erik laughed out loud, clapping Jellal on the back. " _Man,_ it's gonna be fun having her around."

* * *

 **A/N: Anyone catch the Mulan reference?**


	3. Remember Us?

**A/N: Hello! Here's another.** **I like aspects of this story and I don't like aspects of this story. IDK—not too keen. Nevertheless, I still hope you guys enjoy it! :)**

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 **Title: Remember Us?  
Rating: M for language  
Summary: Let's dance out in the open, leaving our demons behind**

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 _"I am afraid of the dark." she said._  
 _"I am your torch." he replied._  
 _\- Michael Faudet_

* * *

 **Remember Us?**

" _Erza…freedom is not a thing that exists in this world…"_

The blue haired boy clutched her chin roughly, turning her face towards him and cocking his head to the side. "You came back to me, did you?" His tone was harsh, tinged with amusement as he smiled menacingly at her. "After I told you what would happen if you did?"

And then darkness consumed her, dread filling her bones, her mind, her very being.

She found herself tied against a pillar, standing in something wet and warm. She didn't need to look down to know that what she was stood in was a pool of blood. Though, whether it was her own, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that her wrists stung as she struggled against the restraints, and her right eye was bleeding, a trail of red running down her face, mirroring the crimson tattoo etched upon her captor's face.

He was watching her.

His hood was pulled low to cast a dark shadow over his face but she recognised him as quickly as anyone would recognise the man who haunted their thoughts.

"Erza…" His voice was low, deeper. This was the older Jellal. "You know what happens now, don't you?"

Then she heard it. A single piercing scream filling the air around them, making her blood run cold.

" _Please,_ " she begged, her voice so small, as fragile as porcelain.

Another scream, followed by another—the sounds plagued her mind, playing over and over like a stuck record, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. _She couldn't stop it._

Those screams didn't belong to her friends back at the tower. They belonged to Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Juvia, Wendy— _and they wouldn't stop._

* * *

A screech ripped out of her own chest as she sat up abruptly, her heart racing and eyes flying open in fear.

"Erza, Erza…" A soft voice called out her name and lowering her gaze, she saw him.

He was crouched in front of her, blue hair slightly dishevelled and his face creased with worry. She opened her mouth to scream again, only to see his gentle eyes on her. The same eyes that were hidden under the hood in the dream were filled with so much kindness and concern now.

"It's alright," he whispered, setting a hand on her shoulder soothingly. "You're alright. It was just a dream."

Erza exhaled a deep sigh, closing her eyes and placing her shaking hand on his as she waited for her heart to slow its pace. She was safe, Jellal was safe and her friends were all safe too. It was just a nightmare, that's all. She'd had plenty in the past and would have plenty in the future. That's all there was to it.

She smiled faintly at him, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Seems like I woke you up with all my screaming. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jellal murmured, reaching forward to tuck a lock of red hair behind her ear and letting his hand linger there. He knew the feeling all too well. Returning a weak smile of his own, he replied to her, "My dreams are often plagued with nightmares too."

Jellal himself was always being followed by ghosts of his past too, during the day when he tried painstakingly to right his wrongs and during nights too where he'd wake up in cold sweats, heavy pants escaping his lips as he tried to calm himself down. He couldn't escape his own demons. He wasn't even sure he deserved to.

Erza shifted over to the side of the bed, making room for him to sit too. Uncertainly, he perched beside her, his arm stretching across the headboard as he cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on the ground, because it was so much easier to keep his eyes trained on the floor than it was to face her.

Truth be told, he was hesitant to ask her about her nightmare. Hesitant, and frankly, quite afraid. He knew there was a chance her answer would entail a side of himself he wished never existed. So he sat in silence, pressing his lips together and avoiding her gaze because maybe, if he kept quiet, he wouldn't be reminded that there was a time where he hurt Erza and treated her so cruelly.

"Do you still have dreams about the tower?" she whispered to him and the mention of that God forsaken place sent a cold shiver shooting down his spine.

His breath came out ragged and uneven as he chuckled bitterly. "I spent the majority of my life holed up in that tower—of course I do."

Silence filled the air like water rising in a tank, neither one of them swimming above the brim to speak. When he turned to her, she was looking away, her face hidden by a curtain of crimson hair. The question he didn't want to but _had_ to ask was lingering on the tip of his tongue but he tried swallowing it down; he didn't want to upset her further.

"Was your nightmare about me?" he whispered, mentally cursing himself for not biting his tongue harder. _He didn't want to know._

She didn't reply but her silence said enough.

"I see."

His tone was one filled with pain, anyone could read that. Erza sighed, sifting her hand through her red hair and sweeping it to the side before turning to him with a dim smile. She couldn't bear to see him like that, not over a silly dream. "Jellal…"

He stiffened when she reached for him, his face growing sad and his eyes unable to meet hers. Years later and he was still punishing himself. She couldn't even begin to imagine the self-hatred boiling inside of him.

With gentle hands, she cupped his face, brushing back the blue strands falling into his eyes to trace the red engraving above and below his right eye. Though, he resisted, turning away from her touch and shaking free of her grasp.

She knew the past was in the past. She worked hard to leave it there, to strive for better things in the future. But seeing Jellal as broken as a wingless bird hurt her.

So she decided to try another approach.

"Jellal?" she said, a smile apparent in her voice. "Do you remember the time Milliana found a stray kitten wandering about? What did she call it? Mittens, was it?"

Jellal removed her hand from his face with a sigh, holding it loosely in his own before hesitantly replying in a quiet voice, "Mr. Mittens the kitten."

Erza's face softened. "Yes, that's it! Do you remember how we'd all save bits of our food to feed Mr. Mittens? How Milliana's face would light up because she was just _so_ happy?"

"Erza, that isn't going to work."

She ignored him, letting all the good memories flood her mind. The Tower of Heaven was one filled with sadness, yes. But she had also made friends there—she had met _him_ there, after all. And it was there he gave her the name 'Scarlet', it was there she turned that anger and sorrow into strength, and it was there she discovered the magic lurking deep inside of her.

"What about that old song Simon's mother used to sing to him?"

She laughed and upon hearing that sound, so pure and full of mirth, Jellal turned to look at her, eyes roving over her features, unable to understand how she could do that. How was she able to smile at him so _brightly_ after everything she had been through? Everything _he_ had put her through.

He wasn't like her. He couldn't be as optimistic as her knowing full well of his sins from the past.

But somehow, she had a way of making him forget all that.

He held her gaze as she continued on, mesmerised by her animated way of storytelling, watching as her brown eyes lit up with childlike amusement. "I remember none of us could get you to shut up for at least a week once he taught us that song! Who knew you had such a knack for singing? Do you remember how it went?"

"Erza…"

She raised her eyebrows at him expectantly, encouraging him to go on. She knew he hadn't forgotten the tune or the lyrics, there was _no way_ he could. As children, they'd belt out the words at the top of their voices, usually getting a nasty scolding from the guards afterwards but in that moment of sing-song, it was all so pure and untainted.

But when she studied his face, he looked as lost as a little boy away from home for much too long.

Erza smiled once more, leaning forward to prod him playfully in the chest. "Oh! How about the time Grandpa Rob taught us how to dance? Remember how Sho and Wally were making such a fuss because they were left to dance with each other?"

Nothing.

She pressed on. "Milliana was with Simon and I—well, I was with you."

The expression he wore on his face was a pained one as memories of their younger selves flooded his mind, his hand softly clutching Erza's as they swung each other round and round, neither of them really knowing what the hell they were doing, just knowing that it was fun.

Now, times were different; they were different.

"Erza, you don't have to do this."

But instead of listening to him, she laced her fingers with his, beaming radiantly as she got to her feet and dragged him along with her, despite his reluctance. "Do what? Won't you dance with me, Jellal?"

She stood him up in front of her, placing one of his hands on her waist and taking the other in her own as she smiled up at him. He stood rigidly against her, eyes travelling from one place to another but never resting on her.

Slowly, she began swaying from side to side, her grasp on his hand tightening as she took a step back, swinging him with her. His breath hitched at her sudden movement, a flicker of a distant memory shaping in his mind of being swung _round and round—_ but he said nothing, just let her guide them through the next steps.

"I remember how we both always wanted to take the lead," she mused, laughing lightly into his chest.

Her comment coaxed a soft chuckle out of him as he imagined their younger selves briefly arguing about which dance moves to start with before he'd eventually give in to her with a roll of his eyes.

Even now, naturally, he began to relax against her, his body easing into the sway of her own as though they were one and the same, moving to the sound of nothing but their own laughter.

He wasn't like her, no. But damn it all, if being with her didn't make him want to move past all the bad moments and walk out into the sunlight with her by his side.

"Funny. I always remember _you_ taking the lead regardless—"

"Ah! That was because you lacked the spirit!" she teased, her heart skipping a beat at the reappearance of that smile she so dearly loved.

"I didn't mind—" he murmured, his hands gripping her more firmly, pulling her closer to him. He let their eyes meet once more, her amused gaze locking with his steady one before he twirled her around, dipping her so that her hair cascaded down her back in red ribbons. "—as long as it was you I was dancing with."

She blushed at his words, her skin growing warm under the intensity of his stare, as if bathed by gentle sunlight. His own breathing became shallow as they straightened up, entangled in each other's embrace and no longer dancing, but just floating, overcome with the sense that they were the only two people in the room, the _world,_ even.

Lacing her arms around him, she toyed with the blue hair at the nape of his neck and Jellal watched her, his face earnest as he tilted his head down to rest his forehead against hers.

"I remember it all," he whispered, his soft breath ghosting over her lips, " _Of course_ , I remember it all. I remember the first time I saw you: small, kind eyes, your scarlet hair—easily the brightest thing in the room along with your smile. I remember playing games, singing, dancing, laughing, crying. I remember it _all,_ Erza."

Seeing her smile, Jellal laughed, the sound vibrating through his body as he continued on in a bright voice. "That's not all though. Erza, do you remember when—"

But then a gruff voice interrupted him, tinged with patent fury. A voice belonging to a sly, sharp-toothed, nosy snake of a person who probably heard every single thing uttered from their mouths—

"OI! WOULD YA KEEP IT DOWN? FUCKING BLUE BALLS WITH HIS FUCKING LONGASS BORING STORIES. THIS AIN'T THE TIME TO GO SKIPPIN' DOWN MEMORY LANE, YOU JACKASS!"

Jellal fought back the urge to groan. Another perfect moment with Erza ruined by that sleazy asshole. Somehow, he couldn't shake off the eerie feeling that Erik had been listening all along and only intervened at that precise moment purposely just to irritate him—so, nothing out of the ordinary.

The pair pulled away, Erza's hands still against his chest whilst his rested by her waist. Their eyes widened in shock as they listened to Erik complain, all the more colourfully. Erza bit her lip in attempts to stifle the laugh that was threatening to slip out while Jellal reddened and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Here we go…" he muttered, already knowing what was coming next.

"SHUT IT, ERIK! YOU'RE DISTURBING MY BEAUTY SLEEP!"

"SORANO, YOU'RE NO BETTER, YELLING LIKE THAT! BEAUTY SLEEP, HUH? WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT CONCEPT WHEN YOU'RE UP AT SIX IN THE MORNING CACKLING LIKE A WITCH?" a sharp voice belonging to a particular pink haired mage yelled indignantly.

"IT'S NOT CACKLING! IT'S _SINGING._ SOMETHING YOU'RE TOO STUPID TO APPRECIATE!"

"I WEAR EARMUFFS FOR A REASON, YOU KNOW!"

Silence filled the guild as Erza laughed, tilting her head to one side thoughtfully. The bickering reminded her of a certain guild she knew all too well. Of course, back in Fairy Tail, no argument was settled without there being at least _one_ physical fight. She missed beating up her fellow guild mates. Perhaps it was still a _little_ too early to show such enthusiasm here. "Is it over?"

Jellal raised an eyebrow, holding up one finger and waiting—

A few beats of silence passed between them before snores that could only result from some sort of sleeping wildebeest arose out of nowhere. Erza arched a brow. "Is that Richard? Mavis, and I thought Natsu's snores were loud."

"OH MY FRIGGIN—DO YOU GUYS HEAR THIS? ERIK, I KNOW _YOU_ CAN AT LEAST HEAR HIM. HE'S SNORING THROUGH ALL THIS CRAP? FUCK THIS, I DEMAND A ROOM SWAP, PRONTO!" Sawyer snapped.

" _Now_ it's over," said Jellal, his mouth quirking up in a handsome grin.

Sometimes, he wondered what his life would be like if the former Oracion Seis never joined his guild. Maybe it'd be easier but it'd also be a whole less entertaining.

Meanwhile, in the guild hall, Macbeth didn't stir at all. Serenely, he floated up and down on his carpet, enjoying his sleep just like any mage should. There was a reason he slept separately from the rest of them, after all.

* * *

 **A/N: Because for some reason, I enjoy Crime Sorciere totally cockblocking Jellal and Erza.**


	4. Grow Old With Me

**A/N: I've been really into Jerza lately because of the latest chapters so HERE! Have another story. I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out and I hope you like it too! Heads up: it's a mix of both past and present moments.**

 **Also, I'd like to say a special thanks to _everyone_ that has been leaving reviews! You're all so lovely, ahhh! You leave me smiling for days. Thank you so much!**

* * *

 **Title: Grow Old With Me  
Rating: K+  
Summary: A beautiful reminiscence of how we used to be.**

* * *

 _"We were two old souls since time began...before light was measured in years." - Lang Leav_

* * *

 **Grow Old With Me**

The old man hobbled down the street gradually, having long since forgotten what it felt like to have joints that didn't ache with each and every step. Over the years, his bones had grown weak and his back had become slightly hunched but it wasn't _all_ bad. He was still able to get around Magnolia to carry out errands and visit his grandchildren. Not to mention, he still had a full tangle of blue hair, even if it was peppered grey now.

As he shuffled into the bakery, both hands tucked into the pockets of his green coat, the smell of fresh pastries filled the air, coaxing a smile across his lips.

A pudgy man wearing a white apron and a big grin on his face waved from behind the counter, laughing heartily. "Ah, Mr. Fernandes! Right on time!"

"Good morning, Akio," Jellal replied, giving the baker's hand an amiable shake before slipping his hand back into the warmth of his pocket.

"I had a feeling you'd be paying me a visit today," Akio said, waggling his eyebrows knowingly. "And don't you worry, I baked a fresh strawberry cake earlier just for you!"

Jellal chuckled. "It seems I've stopped by this little place so often, even you remember how it's mine and Erza's anniversary today."

The baker chortled some more, his cheeks reddening as he placed both hands on his hips. "But of course! Your wife would have killed me a long time ago if I'd ever forgotten her wedding anniversary."

Jellal's lips tugged up in a fond smile, his hazel eyes crinkling at the thought of Erza in her younger days: fiery red hair, calm composure, adorning a death glare that could send anyone running towards the hills. "That sounds like something she'd do."

The baker laughed again before holding up a finger and disappearing out back only to return with a white square-shaped box. He lifted up the lid, peering at Jellal with eager eyes, waiting for the old man's approval.

The cake was quite small and round, topped with fresh cream and plump strawberries dotted in a circle. In the centre of the cake, _'Happy Anniversary'_ was written in a loopy red, much like the colour of his wife's hair and the engraving above and below his right eye.

Jellal's wizened face broke out into a warm smile as he dug around in his pocket for the correct amount of money. "It looks lovely, Akio. You know, she loves strawberries. Now that I recall, she loves just about anything sweet."

Although Jellal was generally quiet and reserved, he could ramble on just like the old man he was when it came to talking about Erza.

The wrinkles etched into his face told of long journeys: the lines outlining his eyes telling stories of laughter, tender smiles and affection whilst his forehead told tales of fears and worries he faced in the past. He had lived an incredible life so far but his favourite stories to tell his grandchildren all revolved around the scarlet haired woman he'd married. They rolled off his tongue with a certain ease and every memory with her was laced with a warmth and happiness he'd feel whenever he delved into reminiscence of their time together.

"Thank you, Akio. I'll see you soon," he told the baker, placing the money on the counter and reaching out for the cake box with trembling hands.

"You take care of yourself. Okay, Mr. Fernandes?"

Jellal turned around, lifting a hand in goodbye. "Of course."

* * *

She was standing in the kitchen, her hair tied up and a big smile plastered to her face. A blue apron hugged her body and her cheeks were powdered with white flour.

"You're back!" She beamed brightly at him, rushing to throw her arms around his neck and to press a soft kiss on his cheek.

"And you've been _baking,_ " he said with a raise of his eyebrow whilst she laughed, brushing the flour off his cheek.

"Of course!" she replied, excitedly ushering him to the kitchen table to sit down. "It's our first wedding anniversary, after all. It's a special occasion so I decided to try to bake a strawberry cake by myself."

"This should be interesting," he murmured, though the smile was already stretching across his lips.

The armour mage smacked him lightly on the head, muttering about 'hard work', 'ungratefulness' and 'the best strawberries in the whole of Magnolia' before turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen counter where a small cake was neatly decorated with red strawberries and blue icing.

She held the cake out to him from across the room, stars in her eyes and a twinkle to her smile. "See? It turned out _perfectly._ And of course it did! I hand-picked these strawberries from the Magnolia valleys all by myself—"

One step, two—and by the third, the cake went flying out of her grasp, toppling to the floor with a loud splat.

Silence filled the room as they both just stared at the remains of the once perfect cake topped _with handpicked strawberries from the valleys of Magnolia._ Simply a catastrophe.

Erza's hands flew to her mouth as she squeaked, almost as if in pain. "No! MY GLORIOUS STRAWBERRY CAKE!"

Jellal's eyes widened before darting back and forth between his wife and the crushed cake. For a brief moment, he wondered what would happen. It was one thing for someone like Gray or Natsu to destroy her cake—of course, they'd immediately receive an ass whooping, no doubt about it.

But what happened when Erza destroyed her own cake?

And then her face crumpled, tears pooling in her eyes, but Jellal was already out of his chair, quickly folding his arms around her with his chin resting atop her head. "Erza, it's alright. It was just a cake. We can get another from the bakery if that's what you'd like."

" _Just_ a cake? It wasn't an ordinary cake! I handpicked those strawberries from—from—"

"The valleys of Magnolia, I know," he said, amusement laced in his voice.

"I hope that's not laughter you're stifling."

"What? _No_ , of course not, Erza."

They stayed like that for a while, fitting in each other's embrace like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, content with the silence surrounding them before Erza finally sighed into his chest. "…can we go get a cake from the bakery?"

Jellal chuckled fondly, stroking her hair. "Akio's?"

"Yes, let's go to Akio's."

* * *

The bell rang lightly in his ears as he walked into the shop filled with rows and rows of flowers. A rainbow of colours and a blend of exotic smells greeted him as he set the cake box on the counter and swiped a quivering hand across his forehead. He really _was_ getting too old for all this lifting.

"Oh, hi!" A small woman organising a bouquet of pink roses beamed at him. "Ah, don't tell me…you called earlier today, didn't you? Err, red lilies, right?"

Older Jellal nodded.

"Got it. One sec!"

Moments later, she emerged holding a bouquet of blazing red lilies dotted with a meld of blue and yellow. Jellal took them into his shaky arms, brushing his fingers against the silky petals, lost in another memory. "You know," he said, a smile playing on his lips, "her hair was once the exact same shade as these lilies. Of course, many years have passed since then."

"Oh yeah?" The lady returned the smile, taking the money from him and propping her elbows on the counter. "Well, in that case, I'm sure she'll love them."

"I'm sure she will. Thank you."

* * *

She was stood in front of the mirror, holding a lock of hair in her grasp and sighing heavily.

"What's wrong?" Jellal asked, leaning into the doorframe with his arms lazily crossed against his chest.

Erza picked out a single strand of hair, glaring threateningly at it. "I found a grey hair."

"Oh?"

"Yes, it seems so." She sighed once more, letting the hair fall back into place before turning to her husband with a frown. "It appears as though I'm getting _old._ "

Jellal raised an eyebrow at her, a playful gleam glinting in his eyes as the corner of his mouth tugged up in a grin. "Does this mean I can't say 'it was the colour of your hair' anymore?"

Erza glared at him.

But he simply laughed, walking over to stand behind her before pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

His hands sifted through ribbons of red hair, fingers finding that single grey strand contrasting against the rest. "Your hair may have been red when we first met and it may have been red on our wedding day. It was even red all those wonderful years after too. But for it to be turning grey?" He rested his chin on her shoulder, his breath softly tingling her cheek. "That just shows we're growing old _together,_ doesn't it?"

Erza smiled, tilting her face slightly to get a better look at him.

"So…grow old with me," he told her.

"I will," she replied softly.

* * *

The cake box and bouquet of red lilies clutched firmly in his arms, the older Jellal Fernandes made his way along the paths of Magnolia.

He couldn't wait to take these gifts to Erza.

At the thought, his lips stretched into a faint smile, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. His expression was a happy one but tinged with a certain sadness that would never quite leave him.

Jellal sighed, slowly bending to put the box and flowers on the ground before crouching down himself. It would take him a long while to get back up but he knew he'd be staying here for a considerable amount of time now.

It was the fourth wedding anniversary of theirs she had missed.

The smile that had been present at the corners of his lips faded away. Instead, a soft whimper escaped him as his hand ran lightly along the edge of her gravestone, cold to the touch.

Tears brimming the corner of his eyes, he laid the lilies around her grave, scattering them so that they burned brightly like flames against the dull colour of the soil.

The flowers were cut at the stem. They were no longer growing. They were living corpses, both alive and dead at the same time. He couldn't help but feel the same after her passing. Without her warm smile to wake up to every morning, without her laughter to fill their home, without her presence in his life, he was like a ghost wandering around the house alone.

His memories of her both comforted and haunted him, sometimes filling him with warmth and other times, filling him with a hopeless and empty longing to have her beside him.

Time had betrayed him by taking his wife away from him and leaving him all alone.

"Happy anniversary, Erza," he whispered. "I miss you."

* * *

 **A/N: OKAY...well, that hurt to write. But it's a good kind of pain, right? They spent their whole lives together, after all.**

 **I promise the next one will be a happier story! Truth be told, this only happened because I just finished 'Clannad After Story' and felt the need to write something sad because damn, I feel a bit broken now.**


	5. Threads of Violet

**A/N: Hello friends! So, some of you wanted a fic involving Jerza children since I didn't include any in the last one.**

 **As a result...**

 **People wanting a Jerza baby...HERE YOU GO! I hope this satisfies you xD This was a weird and fun one to write.**

* * *

 **Title: Threads of Violet  
Rating: K+  
Summary: The Fernandes home would now be filled with the pitter patter of small footsteps.**

* * *

 _"Her hair was always covered with flowers and I swear you could almost see the sunrise from the corner of her eyes." - R.M. Drake_

* * *

 **Threads of Violet**

It was strange carrying out a job alone after so many years of having Erza alongside him. The scrape of her luggage cart against the gravel, her musical laughter, irritated sighs whenever they ended up taking a wrong turn—they were all absent. Instead, it was quiet, no other sound aside from those of his own footsteps making their way along the path.

He missed her presence.

Erza was halfway through her ninth month of pregnancy. Of course, being Erza, she had still insisted of being perfectly capable of completing jobs because not even a child growing inside of her could stop the mighty Titania from righting the wrongs of other people.

That _was_ until she entered the stage where she could no longer squeeze into any of her armours. A tender smile tugged on his lips as he recalled the disappointment etched onto her face the day she woke up, all excited for another job, only to find that her armour had betrayed her by being unable to stretch over the swell of her body.

The sun was setting low into the distant hills now, the sky a glorious orange colour. Jellal trudged along the cobblestone path, exhausted after completing a solo mission and wanting nothing more than to collapse on his bed and sleep for the next century or so.

But of course, that would mean missing the birth of his first child and that was one thing he absolutely couldn't afford to miss, for Erza's sake and for his own.

As he switched shoulders to carry his rucksack on, he suddenly felt a searing pain in his front, knocking the breath out of him. Jellal fell to his knees, his face contorted in pain and confusion as his hands flew to his stomach which was now clenching and cramping with such intensity, he thought his insides would burst.

What was this horrific pain? Where had it come from so suddenly?

He felt tremors shoot up his spine as his back spasmed, and the pressure building up in his lower half was almost too much to bear. It was as though he had been kicked in the balls a hundred times over, the pain was so intense, and for a brief moment, he worried that the name his guild mates had so fondly assigned him all those years ago, 'blue balls', may just become a reality because he was on the ground now, writhing in agony.

But then his eyes spotted a pink band laced around his right wrist. A pink band he had no trouble recognising. This pain was a result of one of Meredy's sensory links which meant that this feeling wasn't his own—it was someone else's.

What was going on? Who was being subdued to this _medieval torture_?! His mind conjured up all sorts of theories, sending his thoughts into a panic as he imagined one of his loved ones dying, screaming out in torment while he himself was miles away, useless.

This had to be Meredy's way of informing Jellal of what was going on. It was a signal of some sort.

As the pain slowly faded away along with the pink band on his wrist, realisation dawned on him.

THE _SIGNAL._

THIS WAS THE SIGNAL OF ERZA GOING INTO LABOUR.

What he had felt momentarily was _Erza's_ pain whilst giving birth.

The colour drained from his face as he sprung to his feet, running as fast as his legs could possibly carry him.

* * *

"Jellal, I have something to give you…" Her voice was light, teasing as she sauntered over to him, hands laced behind her back and a beaming smile stretching across her lips.

He was leaning against the kitchen counter, his tie undone and draped loosely around his shoulders, and a mug of steaming coffee in his hands. He arched a brow at her playfully. "Are we talking something pleasurable or painful?"

Erza rolled her eyes, shoving him affectionately before handing him a white card with loopy blue writing inscribed on it. "Here. Take it."

Jellal eyed her suspiciously, holding her gaze as he set aside the coffee mug and took the card into his hands. "Hmm…"

"Well, open it!"

He flashed a smile in her direction before scanning the note. "'You are hereby invited to attend…'" The smile was quickly replaced by a flat look. "Have you agreed to perform in another one of those Onibus Town theatre plays organised by that Rabian man?"

"Not this time, no!" She could barely contain her anticipation as she stared at him with childlike excitement. "Stop assuming things and carry on reading!"

Jellal shook his head at her fondly before casting his eyes down to read aloud again. "'You are hereby invited to attend…'" His voice cut off as the next words sunk in.

He looked up at his wife incredulously.

 _You are hereby invited to attend the birth of your first child._

"Erza, you're pregnant?" he asked softly, though it was more of a statement than a question.

She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck as his face broke out into a warm smile.

 _He and Erza were going to be parents._

 _He was going to be a father._

Arms hooking underneath her, he swung her round and round the kitchen, their laughter being the only sound filling the room.

* * *

"Where were you?!" a furious Meredy raged as he neared the front entrance of the hospital, his breathing ragged and his legs ready to give way any second now.

"You're aware of where I was! I was out on a job!" he choked out, shooting her an indignant glare of his own.

She folded her arms, staring at him coldly before scrunching her hand up in the hood of his coat and dragging him along the corridor, practically knocking everyone else out of the way. An angry Meredy was not one to trifle with, he knew. "What if you missed the birth of your first child? Honestly, after she even went to the trouble of _inviting_ you to the birth! You know she only did that because you're late to everything, right? I mean it, Jellal—if you've missed the birth, first Erza will kill you and then _I'll_ resurrect you just to kill you again. And _then_ — _"_

"Well, there's no need for any of that. I'm here now, aren't I?"

" _Yes_ , after I had to interfere with my sensory link magic! Erza was at the guild when the contractions started taking place and then—"

Jellal freed himself from her grasp, shuddering with the memory of the agony she inflicted on him. "And then she was overcome with _unimaginable_ pain…"

"Yes."

He shot her an accusing look. "I'm familiar with the feeling, thank you for that."

Meredy turned to look back at him and Jellal was pretty sure she was fighting back a giggle. Of _course_ she'd take amusement from his suffering. Didn't his whole guild do the same?

"Consider it the _start_ of your punishment for being late to the birth of your child!" she reprimanded him sternly.

Jellal sighed, approaching the main desk of the hospital. A weak smile crossed his face as he regarded the small lady with owlish eyes and round glasses. "I'm an awful husband who is late to his own child's birth. Can you please tell me where I might find my suffering wife?"

* * *

They were sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by stacks of books filled with acres and acres of baby name suggestions.

Mushette, Scarlignia, Zazzoo…these names were atrocious. Just where did Levy find these books?

Tired of flicking through endless pages, Erza sighed and shut the book, propping her chin on her hands and tilting her head to the side to smile at him, eyes twinkling with ideas. "What about _Strawberry_ Fernandes?"

Jellal looked up from the book he was reading to shoot her a sceptical look. "Do you hate our child, Erza? Do you want our child to be teased throughout their entire life?"

Erza looked appalled. "Of course not! Strawberry is a wonderful name! And besides, the idea of _our_ child being bullied is preposterous. Our child could take on any challenger!"

"Well, you're right about that," he said, closing his own book and grinning at her. "Alright. Maybe if it's a girl and she happens to inherit your scarlet hair, perhaps we can consider Strawberry as a contender for names."

She eyed him momentarily. "Hmm…I suppose that seems fair."

"And what if it's a boy?" he mused.

Erza squinted. "Strawberry happens to be a unisex name."

Jellal ran a hand through his blue hair before rubbing the back of his neck and exhaling a deep sigh. "Strawberry Fernandes…my, oh my…"

* * *

Bursting through the doors, the first thing Jellal Fernandes' eyes darted to was Erza, sitting up in bed with her hair dishevelled, locks of red matted to her face, skin glistening with sweat and her face contorted in pain.

Oh Mavis.

Her head flicked towards him just as he ran to her, quickly falling to her side and taking her hand in his. Seeing her like this was excruciatingly difficult, but nothing compared to what she was going through, he knew as much. That feeling of sheer helplessness filled him as she grunted and pushed but all he could do was provide support, which he tried his very best to do.

"Erza, I'm so sorry," he started, wincing as her grip on his hand tightened with bone-crushing pressure. "As soon as Meredy managed to reach me, I ran over here as fast as my legs could carry me—"

Erza attempted to smile faintly at him but instead only managed to reply between ragged breaths. "It's—it's alright. You're just in time. It's—fine."

Time passed as it does, but of course, in these circumstances, time was slower than usual, each second seemingly getting longer and longer as Erza cried out in pain and Jellal encouraged her on, despite having lost all feeling in his hand quite some time ago.

When a small cry echoed throughout the room, Erza's head fell back on the pillow, relief spreading across her face. She closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy that sound filling her ears. Then, she squeezed her husband's hand once more before holding it loosely in her own.

Jellal leaned forward, brushing the hair out of her eyes and stroking her cheek softly as he smiled down at her. "So, is it going to be Strawberry Fernandes or Strawberry Fernandes?"

Erza mustered up a small laugh and he couldn't help but think her smile was radiant even in this condition.

"You were great, Erza. Truly," he said in a quiet voice, pressing a light kiss to her forehead.

"It's a beautiful little girl!" The nurse beamed, making her way over to them with a small bundle in her arms. "My, her hair is such a lovely shade…"

Jellal chuckled, though his voice came out quite broken.

 _He was a father._

He couldn't believe it.

"Red like her mother's, I presume," he mused, locking eyes with Erza who returned his gaze with a weak smile.

"Maybe blue like her father's," she said with a light laugh.

Jellal gently took the bundle of blankets into his arms before perching on the bed beside Erza, placing their daughter on her chest. Tears threatened to well up in his eyes and he couldn't contain the happiness that was spreading throughout his entire being because this was it. He and Erza were actually parents.

He couldn't believe how tiny she was, how fragile and awe inspiring. All the moments of pain from before melted away because their daughter was born healthy and she was with them, safe and sound.

Her eyes blinked open to reveal a soft brown and when she looked at him, he swore he was filled with a light he never knew existed in the world before now.

Slowly reaching out with gentle fingers, he stroked her cheek. She was so small and delicate, like a little doll. Their daughter wriggled underneath his touch, causing the blankets to shuffle over half her face but Jellal simply laughed once more, his voice filled with raw emotion as he pulled back the blanket to reveal her hair.

A tuft of purple hair.

They gasped.

"Her hair…it's violet," he noted, incredulous.

"Violet," Erza mused, gently stroking her fingers through the wisps of hair. "A beautiful name, wouldn't you agree?"

Jellal smiled, both arms wrapped around his small but loved family. "I agree."

 _It was the colour of her hair._

* * *

 **A/N continued: What do you think of blue and red coming together to form purple? I'd love for this to actually happen! Mashima, pls.**

 **Well, I hope this story was to your liking...because the stuff I came across while researching how childbirth feels...traumatising. Haha...hahaha...*eye twitches***

 **Poor Erza (and poor Jellal for having to experience it for a few fleeting moments xD)**

 **Anyway, enough of my rambling. I'd appreciate any comments you may have, thanks for reading :)**


	6. Sweet Justice

**A/N: The title of this fic is an extremely lame pun for which I apologise in advance. I also apologise in advance for the cheesy quote I chose for this story but DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND QUOTES ABOUT CAKES?! *sigh***

 **SO, it's been a while, Jerza friends! It's 3am, I wrote this in one sitting, here's a silly AU fic. Go easy, it's my first time writing AU for Jerza xD**

 **Hope you like it :)**

* * *

 **Title: Sweet Justice  
** **Rating: K+/T?  
** **Summary: She was just looking to avenge her stolen desserts, not have her heart stolen by a blue haired man.**

* * *

 _"But how will I eat cake if my head is over there, and my hands are over here?" - Marie Antoinette (asking the real questions)_

* * *

 **Sweet Justice**

164 minutes.

That was how long Erza Scarlet had been hiding inside one of the staffroom lockers, waiting for the culprit to show themselves.

For weeks now, a truly monstrous co-worker had been stealing her labelled desserts from the office fridge, leaving her sweet tooth under-provided for, and her mood as bitter as could be.

To make matters worse, this heinous act had been affecting her work attitude. She had been extra snappy towards her underlings, especially towards the icy pervert who stripped on every occasion and his pink haired partner who wreaked havoc with every step he took.

The last she saw of the two of them were the boys being transported out of the building on gurneys.

Not that she had any knowledge about _that_.

The first time her desserts had disappeared, she had thought maybe she'd forgotten the container in the car or on her kitchen counter at home, and let the situation slide as a one-off occasion. So when it happened again, she realised it wasn't her being forgetful, but in fact, someone had been stealing her food and the next step was to start interrogations.

Erza had gathered the whole floor of employees one night—well, not so much as gathered…more like _trapped_ by blocking the elevators and stairways—and questioned each and every one of them, asking for full minute by minute accounts of their actions during the hours surrounding lunch time but unfortunately, to no avail.

All she had gained from that experiment were crying co-workers and several complaints directed to her for 'taking things too far'.

Ridiculous allegations, of course.

Next, she had tried to check the CCTV footage of the staffroom, certain that this would lead to her much needed breakthrough in finding the dastardly dessert thief, except she was denied permission to go through the tapes, much to her dismay. So naturally, she tried an alternative method by using Gray and Natsu as lookouts while she carried out her dangerous solo mission.

Unfortunately, even _after_ she secretly broke into the office to search through the tapes, she discovered that the kitchen extension of the staff room didn't appear in the footage at all. For some perplexing reason, her company thought it was more important to keep watch over safes and offices than it was to protect the wellbeing of the people's food. Outrageous.

As a result, Erza was back at square one, clueless but nevertheless, striving to find the real culprit.

Of course, she could always prepare desserts that didn't need to be refrigerated but that would mean giving in to the thief which she had no intention of doing, not until he or she had received a slice of well-served justice and paid for their crimes.

She didn't know who it was but if she was sure of anything, it was this: that person had a death wish, and she'd be more than happy to fulfil it for them.

Erza heaved a sigh, shifting around uncomfortably in the small locker and peeping through one of the holes she'd stabbed in earlier to spy on the other workers.

So far, Juvia, Lucy, Meredy and a few others had come and gone, neither one of them leaving with the cream cake she had brought in for dessert today. At this rate, she almost wished that one of them would return and try to steal it because she was beginning to lose all feeling in her legs which were squeezed against her awkwardly.

She felt like human origami. No, in fact, a jack-in-the-box, crammed inside a container and just waiting to jump out and surprise the bandit. Only, she was ten times scarier and the person she attacked would not be laughing in pleasant astonishment but instead would be on their knees begging for mercy.

All of a sudden, the door to the staffroom clicked open and Erza watched with anticipation as a pair of legs attached to shiny leather shoes walked in, the man whistling to himself.

Could this be the culprit she'd been waiting so long for?

She expected him to make his way to the fridge like so many others before him had done but instead, she found that the sound of his footsteps were getting louder, the whistling ringing in her ears. With a twist of dread, she realised he was approaching the locker she had stuffed herself inside of.

Still as a statue, she held her breath, hoping against hope that he wouldn't come any closer—

But darkness consumed her as the man stood in front of the locker, blocking out the little light that had been streaming in through the holes and filling her with numbing terror at the possibility of having been discovered.

Erza's heart hammered in her chest almost deafeningly, betraying her efforts of keeping as quiet as possible. She wondered whether he could hear it beating as loudly as she could. She hoped not, for her own sake and for his because she'd have to silence him one way or another for finding her in this way.

Next thing she knew, the locker door had been pulled open and she tumbled out onto the floor, a tangle of arms and legs, her jack-in-the-box appearance being a lot less graceful than she had hoped.

Groaning from the discomfort of hitting the wooden floor and having sudden light blind her eyes, she sat up groggily, muttering to herself about how hours in that damned locker had gone to waste now that her cover had been blown.

"My, my…" a deep voice said, laced with amusement, and Erza blinked dazedly up at the man towering above her.

He was tall, clad in a nicely fitting white shirt and suit trousers, his blazer draped over one shoulder and a grey tie fixed loosely around his neck. Blue hair fell in messy spikes around his face and peeking out from under the locks was an interesting red tattoo etched above and below his right eye.

Erza couldn't help but stare at him.

And then he went and _smiled_ and she swore she saw stars for a fraction of a second, before he stretched out a hand to her.

But Erza didn't register his gesture all at once, her mind drawing a blank as she continued staring at him shamelessly. When her eyes finally travelled from his handsome face to his broad shoulders all the way down his biceps to his outstretched hand, she let out a shaky laugh, taking his hand and letting him pull her up on her feet.

"Hello."

"Hello…" he replied before arching a brow at their hands still entwined in each other's.

Erza gasped, immediately retracting her hand to squeak in embarrassment while the man laughed, reaching up to rub the back of his neck before flashing her a smile.

"So, any particular reason you were hiding in my locker?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side to give her a curious look.

"I—I was just—I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude. I promise to you as one loyal worker to another, I wasn't trying to—"

"Don't worry about it," he said with an indifferent wave of his hand, "there's nothing in there worth stealing anyway, unless you're a fan of wearisome paperwork and boxes of gum."

Erza reddened. "I wasn't trying to steal anything! I—well, I'm actually trying to catch a thief myself."

"Oh?"

"Someone in the department has been stealing from me, you see."

"I see."

"I was just trying to catch them in the act."

"Understandable."

"And then you walked in…"

"I did."

"And you found me."

"I spoiled your foolproof plan."

"Yes."

"Right…" He edged closer to her, his lips tugging up in a smirk. "And what about now?"

She brought her gaze up to meet his, an insuppressible smile stretching across her face. "It's not as bad as it seems," she murmured.

"Hm…"

He took another step towards her, closing the distance between them, Erza's back against the locker door and his arm against her head. She stared up at him wide brown eyes and when she found him watching her just as intently, she felt her skin grow warm with the pressure of his gaze.

For a wavering moment, she actually felt the need to thank the mysterious dessert culprit for leading her into a situation like this where a handsome blue haired man had her caged between his arms, looking down at her in a way that made something heated unfurl in the pit of her stomach and had her heart racing a hundred miles an hour in her chest.

Who needed cake anyway?

"Why have I never come across you before?" she murmured, searching his face for any remnants of familiarity but with no luck. She definitely would have remembered him had she seen him before, without a shadow of a doubt.

"It may have to do with the fact I just transferred here a few weeks ago."

"That explains it," she replied in a breathy voice. "How are you liking Magnolia so far?

The man chuckled softly, ducking his head down to hers, his blue hair falling into his eyes and framing his face in a heartbreakingly attractive way. "I must admit, I'm liking it a lot more than my old town. Back there, I never seemed to come across any cute redheads hiding in my locker."

She watched as his eyes travelled down to her lips and suddenly, the urge to kiss him senseless outweighed everything and anything else—

"SCARLET! FERNANDES!"

The pair sprung apart immediately, as if they'd been scorched by each other's touch, their faces burning and eyes trained elsewhere, anywhere but on one another.

The head of the department, a short moustached man named Makarov Dreyar, peered at them suspiciously from under bushy white eyebrows. "Any reason as to why you're lollygagging around here instead of working in your respective offices?"

"Sorry sir, I happen to be on my lunch break," Erza said quickly, hands clasped in front of her as she tried to ignore the fact that her face was probably the same shade as her hair now.

"As am I," Fernandes added with an apologetic smile.

At the sound of his voice, Erza found her gaze wandering back to him, catching the look he was giving her from the corner of his eye. She had been meaning to catch the dessert thief in the act—not have herself caught almost kissing another co-worker.

Though, in all honesty, as she watched his lips work into a smirk, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at having been interrupted.

Her face tinted an even darker shade of red at the thought.

Makarov watched them closely for a moment, eyes darting from one face to another before he turned on his heel, making his way towards the fridge.

Erza's eyes widened and her heart lumped in her throat for a fleeting moment—could it be _him_?

But then the old man emerged from the fridge with an egg salad in his hands, a disapproving expression etched onto his face as he glowered at the two of them. "Don't be too long. You know we have a big deal to close tomorrow. There's a lot to do!" And with that, he was gone and Erza was once again left alone in the company of the charming blue haired man.

She stole a quick glance to see him laughing, a hand raking through his hair as he said, "Well, I guess that's our cue to actually have lunch."

"I suppose so."

" _Scarlet_ , would you like to have lunch with me?"

Erza smiled playfully. "That depends. Will you be taking me out somewhere extravagant?"

He grinned, making his way to the fridge. "That depends on your definition of extravagant. Though, there's one thing that I'm sure will definitely please you…" he said, rustling around in the fridge as she waited expectantly, arms laced behind her back and eyebrows raised in eagerness. "You know, there's someone that works in this department who makes the _best_ desserts..."

He re-emerged from behind the fridge holding a container filled with slices of creamy cake that looked all too familiar. "Cream cake today. Extravagant enough for you?" he asked, lips tugging up in a smirk.

Erza stared at him disbelievingly.

Her mouth fell open.

She was speechless.

It was _him_. The culprit she had been seeking for the last few weeks was the man she was almost kissing just moments ago.

He furrowed his brow, his smile quickly replaced by a frown. "Is something wrong? Do you not like cream?"

And suddenly, avenging her stolen desserts became the last thing on her mind.


	7. Cursed

**A/N: This one's for you foxydame! I wrote this little piece for angst week and didn't upload this fic on here originally because it's more Erik (Cobra) centric but I will definitely share it in here at your request :)**

 **I hope you guys don't mind. In fact, I hope the rest of you like it too. Sorry it's not very Jerza (more like implied Jerza) but by now, I feel like Crime Sorciere have wormed their way into this collection too xD**

* * *

 **Title: Cursed  
Rating: T**  
 **Summary: He wasn't sure whether his hearing was a gift or a curse. [Erik-centric] [prompt: silence]**

* * *

 _'"What was it like to lose him?" asked Sorrow.  
There was a long pause before I responded:_  
 _"It was like hearing every goodbye ever said to me - said all at once."' - Lang Leav_

* * *

 **Cursed**

If anyone had ever asked him what it was like to have such impeccable hearing, he would have smirked and told them it was the best damn thing this world had to offer.

Erik had plenty of fun with his gift, alright. There was a certain amusement that came along with listening to other people's private thoughts, especially when that person happened to be Jellal Fernandes.

"Oi! Blue balls!"

Jellal sighed defeatedly, shooting his friend a sceptical look. "Are we _still_ fond of that ridiculous name, Erik?"

The dragon slayer chuckled darkly, throwing a lazy arm around the Jellal's shoulders to sneer, "That name's gonna stick around 'til the day you confess your _undying love_ to Scarlet."

"So…forever," Sorano said, propping her chin up on her hands and smiling amusedly at the pair.

From the snack bar, an objecting Meredy scolded them, her voice stern as she stared them all down with piercing eyes. "Give him a break, guys! He's just taking it _slow_ and there's nothing wrong with that. These things take time."

"Would you listen to her? Goes out on a date with that Lamia Scale ice mage _once_ and suddenly, she's the expert." Sorano rolled her eyes as Meredy proceeded to stick her tongue out at her.

Erik grinned. "Takin' it slow, is he? At the rate he's goin', he's gonna take the name 'blue balls' to the grave with him."

"As someone who knows what he's talkin' about when it comes to speed, I second that opinion," Sawyer replied, snickering tauntingly.

Jellal glared at them both before rising to his feet. "I don't need to hear this for what is probably the fiftieth time—"

But Erik laughed once more, snatching Jellal's collar and pulling him back down beside him. He arched a brow, a fang peeking out of his mouth as he smiled wolfishly at him. "Wanna know what _I_ hear all the time?"

"Not really, no."

"Too bad. It goes a little like this…" He cleared his throat before placing a dramatic hand on his forehead, calling upon his awful acting skills to aid him, " _Oh Erza! No...I mustn't give in to this desire…I am not worthy! I must atone for my sins!"_

As the rest of the guild erupted in laughter, aside from Richard who bellowed about the strength of love overcoming all past troubles, Jellal exhaled a deep sigh for all his troubles before shoving Erik heatedly, his cheeks flaming like wildfire. "Having you people as guildmates serves as a punishment in itself."

The other man shoved him back, a playful gleam in his eye as he regarded Jellal knowingly. "Nah, you know that ain't true. You need us by your side so you don't end up forever alone."

"Although, telling Erza Scarlet the truth would provide a simple solution to that problem too," Macbeth said matter-of-factly as Jellal groaned in exasperation.

But Erik could hear him.

He could hear his thoughts. Thoughts tinged with fondness, friendship, even affection. As much as the dragon slayer loved to tease Jellal, there were some thoughts he listened to that he wouldn't share with the rest of his guildmates.

They served as little reminders to himself that there was such a thing as a path of light to walk upon, that it was possible to strive for good even after the horrors of the past.

Blue balls was a good man, alright. He wasn't as bad as his name suggested at all.

* * *

If anyone had ever asked him what it was like to have such impeccable hearing, he would have told them it was nothing but a curse.

He watched as the armour mage threw herself on top of Jellal, sobs ripping out of her chest as she scrunched her hands tightly into the torn remains of his clothes, screaming his name repeatedly in muffled cries.

The sound played in his mind over and over like a stuck record, ringing in his ears.

He couldn't make it stop.

He knew he'd never be able to make it stop.

He'd heard a lot of pain stricken cries lately, but this one made dread seep through his bones like no other sound had.

For the first time in years, Erik whispered the man's real name. He didn't whisper 'blue balls', but whispered 'Jellal' quietly. So quietly, it could only have been picked up by ears as sensitive as his own.

Because the fact was that he couldn't hear Jellal's thoughts anymore.

It was strange. Erik's body was numb, his feet like anchors weighing him down to the spot, yet he found himself walking over to Jellal and the woman he had loved so wholeheartedly.

For the first time in his life, he was doubting himself. He didn't trust his hearing. He _refused_ to trust his hearing. There had been another occasion in the past where he couldn't hear Jellal's thoughts, so why was this any different? His hearing was _wrong._

It had to be.

Erik approached them slowly, quietly. His ears were lying to him but he knew his eyes wouldn't.

The blue hair that had earned him the title 'blue balls' for so many years framed his face messily, unkempt.

Meredy would have scolded him for the untidiness of his hair before fixing it with precise fingers.

Blood seeped out of the remains of his charred clothes.

Sorano would never have let him hear the end of his choices in fashion.

Erza was beside him.

Erik himself would have teased him endlessly for that alone…but this time he couldn't.

He couldn't because there was no one to get annoyed at him, no one to shove him indignantly whilst muttering about how he never should have gotten them to join his guild.

Erik continued to watch him.

The worst were his eyes. The spark in his eyes was extinguished, gone. There was no kindness in them, no playfulness, no sign of _living._ They were just empty orbs staring lifelessly at the smoke ridden sky.

It was over. The man who had turned his life back around was no longer beside him. There would be no more thoughts laced with friendship and kindness—no more little reminders of the good in this world.

Collapsing beside the armour mage, he placed a trembling hand on her shoulder. "He's gone, Erza."

He couldn't hear Jellal's thoughts anymore. There was nothing but silence.


	8. Code Blue

**A/N: Hello fellow Jerza shippers! After the latest FT chapter, I felt the need to incorporate our beloved Crime Sorciere into this silly fic. I love including them in my writing, they're so much fun xD**

 **Also just wanted to say thank you so much for reading and leaving such kind reviews! Keeps me smiling for days on end, honestly.**

 **ANYWAY, we all know Jellal is secretly an incredible baker. I explore that concept in this story. ENJOY :)**

* * *

 **Title: Code Blue  
Rating: M for language (sigh, Erik has such a potty mouth)  
Summary: His talents in the kitchen are enough to win over a dessert enthusiast like Erza.**

* * *

 _"She was a curious girl, a wanderer, who spent her summers chasing fluttering pieces of prose and eating strawberries." - Michael Faudet_

* * *

 **Code Blue**

Erza Scarlet peered up from under her cards to flash a challenging smile at her opponent. "Stumped, are we?"

"Quit rushing me, woman!" Sawyer snapped indignantly, matching her smile with an angry glare. "And here I thought playing with Erik was bad—"

"Nah, you're just shit." The dragon slayer in question chuckled, crossing his arms behind his head before sucking in a sharp breath. "Oooh, don't want to do that, pal…bad move."

"WOULD YOU GET OUT OF MY HEAD?"

"Jeez, try to help a guy out and this is the thanks I get—"

And just like that, they were at it again, up on their feet, snatching each other's collars and growling like a pair of rabid animals.

Erza did not approve in the slightest.

She set down her cards, folding her arms across her chest to glare at them irately. Times like these, the quarrelling pair reminded her of a certain pink haired dragon slayer and an ice mage…of course, had it been Natsu and Gray, she wouldn't have tolerated such behaviour for longer than a minute.

With Erik and Sawyer? Because she was still fairly new to Crime Sorciere, she allowed them exactly a minute _and a half_ before biting both their heads off. After all, she was a generous person.

With their stretch now coming to an end, it was time for them to face their inevitable doom.

Erza stood up, mustering her most threatening, stern voice at which upon hearing, Natsu and Gray would always know death was near. "How many times—"

But she was interrupted by a flash of pink. Meredy ran into the guild hall, arms waving wildly as she approached them, a big smile plastered to her face. "CODE BLUE!" she yelped, causing Sawyer and Erik to pause in their brawl to stare at her with wide disbelieving eyes whilst Erza arched a brow curiously.

"What's that? Are we being attacked? Has the council located Crime Sorciere?" she asked in a panic-stricken voice, though received no reply. The others seemed to be in a panic of their own.

Sawyer's mouth dropped open. "Are you fucking with me right now, Meredy?"

"NO! It's really code blue!"

"Shit—she's telling the truth," Erik whispered, springing away from Sawyer to bolt towards the hallway. "EVERY FUCKING MAN FOR HIMSELF!"

And with a frown, Erza realised all the other guild members were also aware of what 'code blue' happened to be too as they clambered to their feet, rushing after the dragon slayer with desperate yelps while she trailed after them in a daze, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Meredy, what in the world is code blue? Why is everyone acting so strangely all of a sudden?" she asked once she'd caught up to her.

Meredy laughed, grabbing Erza's hand tightly before pulling her after them, gaining speed on the rest of the guild who had shot out of the hall like bullets out of one of Bisca's trusty rifles. "Jellal is baking again!" she announced happily.

"He _bakes_?"

"Yes! It's such a rarity though. That's why whenever he puts that apron on, we sound the alarm for code blue." She giggled, looking over her shoulder to smile amiably at Erza. "It practically turns into a civil war!"

Erza registered this new information, feeling the anxious knot in her stomach loosen and instead unfurl with a nest of butterflies.

Jellal _baked._

She didn't think she could love him any more than she already did, but that proved to be untrue.

Crime Sorciere, or say in that moment, the group of excited pre-schoolers, burst through the kitchen door with ecstatic squeals, Sawyer in the lead with a triumphant sneer at having 'won the race to the real nirvana', Erik accusing Richard of squishing his foot to a pulp, while Erza and Meredy brought up the rear, peeking over Sorano's shoulders to sneak a glance at the man who was the source of all this commotion.

Standing in front of the kitchen counter with a blue apron on and cheeks powdered with flour was Jellal Fernandes. He scratched his head, flipping to the next page of the recipe book, all the while completely oblivious to the pack of hungry wolves standing behind him.

He seemed to be in a world of his own and as Erza watched him stir the contents of the mixing bowl with a lean arm, she decided she also wanted to get lost in that world of his. Desserts and Jellal Fernandes, what a heavenly world indeed.

But in the guild's case, they were here solely for the desserts part. They stood around Jellal in a semi-circle, watching with awestruck expressions as though he was stirring all of the world's greatest secrets in that mixing bowl.

Erza could have sworn a few of them were actually drooling.

Jellal turned around slowly, his hazel eyes scanning the room as though he'd only just noticed them. His eyebrows shot up. "Is there a reason you're all here?"

Sawyer sneered at him from under his nose. "Whatcha bakin' there, blue balls?"

Jellal squinted. "How did you all find out?"

"I'm sorry!" Meredy burst out, pushing past the others to smile apologetically at him. "I just saw you in your apron and had to tell someone!"

Sorano was next to leave a comment, flicking her hair over her shoulder to stick her nose in the air. "This is your one and only talent, Jellal. Why don't you make proper use of it?"

"Yeah, maybe we'd all fucking like you better if you baked more often. Ever think about that?" Erik said tauntingly, resting an arm on Jellal's shoulder to grin wolfishly at him, one pointed fang peeking out from under his lip.

Jellal shoved Erik to the side with a roll of his eyes, peppering him with flour and in return, receiving an indignant grunt from the dragon slayer. "Watch your mouth. Otherwise, Erza and I will be the only ones eating these cookies."

Richard's eyes lit up with new-formed interest as he stepped forward, almost knocking Sawyer and Meredy off their feet. " _COOKIES?_ Such a delicacy, OH YEAH!"

"Where's Macbeth?" Sorano frowned.

Sawyer chuckled slyly. "Left him sleeping. That way there's more for us."

"I like the way you think."

"Some criminal tendencies you just can't shake, right?"

As the pair continued to conspire to keep the cookies for themselves only, Jellal stretched his arms out wide like a human barrier, shielding the cookie dough away from Meredy, Erik and Richard who had slowly begun to edge closer with wide eyes and even wider menacing smiles.

Erza stayed back, her own eyes the size of orbs as she regarded the scene in front of her. It was like something out of a horror movie, Jellal being the protagonist protecting the wellbeing of his desserts whilst the others played mindless zombies with only one goal: cookies.

And people back at Fairy Tail told her _she_ was the one crazy over desserts. Preposterous.

Jellal let out an exasperated sigh, giving them all a flat look. "If you leave now, I may just let you lick the bowl."

"What? Do you think we're little kids?" Sorano scoffed. " _Please_."

"OH YEAH!" Richard bellowed, tears of happiness pooling in his eyes as he swept forward, scooping up Sorano, Meredy and the boys in one full sweep before launching himself towards the hallway, Meredy kicking, Sorano complaining about him crumpling her new feather skirt, Sawyer swearing very colourfully and Erik shaking his fists, calling back to Jellal in a raged voice about how _'he can hear his thoughts'_ and _'he never intended to let them lick the bowl in the first place, the bastard!'_

Jellal's lips lifted up in a satisfied smirk. "And that's why Richard is my utmost favourite."

Erza laughed, strolling towards him with her arms laced behind her back. She peered over his shoulder, eyes sparkling with interest. "I didn't know you could bake."

"It's just a way to pass time." He shrugged. "Things have been quiet recently."

She edged closer to him and he watched amusedly as she eyed the mixing bowl. "Mind if I have a taste?"

"Not at all."

Erza timidly dipped a finger in the cookie dough, scooping up a dollop sprinkled with chocolate chips. She popped the mixture into her mouth, her face breaking out into an approving smile that made him laugh out loud in delight.

"What do you think?" he asked, though he knew the answer already. He could tell just by the way she was eyeing the rest of the dough that she'd liked it; her eyes always gave her away.

With a small cough, she brought her gaze up to his. "You're quite talented in the kitchen."

 _"He's also pretty talented in the bedroom!"_ Sawyer called from the hallway in a muffled voice.

"KISSASS! You think he'll give you extra cookies if you act like his fucking puppy?" Erik snapped, followed by a loud slap and clang.

Jellal rolled his eyes, turning back to the oven to hide his flaming cheeks. "And this is why I don't bake regularly."

He crouched, grabbing a mitt before opening the door to the oven, only to let a delicious aroma fill the air. Erza inhaled deeply, feeling her love for him increase to even higher heights.

"They're not done just yet," he said, turning back to her with a frown.

He blinked. He blinked again.

Erza was hunched over the mixing bowl, one hand sweeping her hair over her shoulder whilst the other held a spoon topped with a generous amount of cookie dough.

"Erza?"

She jumped, dropping the spoon with an awkward laugh, cheeks blazing. "Are—are they finished?"

"No, perhaps a few minutes more."

"Alright."

"Yes."

"That's fine. Err, are you going to check on the cookies now?"

"It's only been a minute since I last checked."

"I see…what about now?"

Jellal eyed her suspiciously. "I suppose I could take another look."

He turned away from her, ears pricking at the sound of a spoon scraping against the bottom of a bowl.

His suspicions had been confirmed.

He whipped around to see her eating more of the cookie dough.

"Erza!"

"You can't have checked already!"

Jellal sighed heavily, peeling her hands off the bowl and giving her a look that resembled an adult scolding a child. "You're almost as bad as them."

"Sorry, that was shameful."

His face softened as he shook his head fondly at her. "Don't be sorry. You can be the first to have one as soon as they're done."

She nodded and just as he said, a few agonisingly long minutes later, Jellal emerged from the oven carrying a tray of chocolate chip cookies, his cheeks pink from the heat and a smile bright on his lips as he cautiously set them on the counter. "Careful, they're hot."

She had sparred with Natsu enough times to know better than letting a little heat stop her. Nothing would stand in the way of her and those cookies.

She gingerly lifted one from the tray, blowing on it a couple of times before taking a bite—soft, melt-in-your-mouth, buttery _goodness_ —they were amazing.

She couldn't help but take another bite, feeling as though she wasn't holding a cookie, but was holding pure unadulterated happiness in the palm of her hands. "This is _heavenly._ "

 _"That's not the only thing that's heavenly—"_

"SAWYER, WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" Erik's voice boomed through the walls, followed by a loud crash and an indignant yelp.

"I can see why they act the way they do," Erza said, a satisfied smile crossing her lips. She neared him, reaching up with a hand to dust his cheek. "You're covered in flour."

"Baking tends to do that." Jellal laughed, enjoying the feel of her warm hand brushing his skin.

"Hm."

"Erza?"

"I didn't know you could bake so _well_ …" she murmured, lacing her hands around his neck to peer up at him through hooded eyes.

He said nothing as she leaned forward, closing her eyes and also closing the distance between them to gently press her lips against his.

For a second, he watched her quizzically, his heart drumming in his chest, but not a moment too soon, he allowed his eyes to close too, letting himself melt into the kiss and the feel of her body against his and the way her fingers threaded through locks of his blue hair—

But as quickly as the kiss had begun, it had come to an end.

Jellal opened his eyes, only to see that the tray of cookies had disappeared, as had the oven mitt and Erza.

He stared blankly at the kitchen door, blinking and scratching his head confusedly.

Outside, voices erupted in celebration.

"ERZA! ERZA HAS THE COOKIES!"

"BEST ADDITION TO THE GUILD EVER! LET'S SHARE IT OUT, COME ON!"

"TOGETHER, WE CAN UNITE AGAINST JELLAL!"

"THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE."

"Back! Back, all of you! Stay back! These are _mine._ "

And the sound of a sword being unsheathed filled the air, the victorious cheers quickly replaced by a range of piercing screams, and well, Jellal knew all too well where _that_ story was headed.

He shrugged, turning back to the mix to whip up a new batch of cookies, his lips still tingling with the sensation of Erza's mouth against his.

Maybe he should bake more often after all.


	9. Tattoos, Twins and Trouble

**A/N: HI! For those of you unaware, it's Jerza week this week so naturally, being the Jerza lover I am, I'm getting involved! Because, well... _Jerza!_**

 **ANYWAY, I really enjoyed writing this one. The prompt was 'tattoos' so I decided to have some fun with it. Featuring Jerza and their children! Yep, I have created multiple kids for them now, totally getting ahead of myself.**

* * *

 **Title: Tattoos, Twins and Trouble  
Rating: K+  
Summary: They left Meredy to babysit the kids. What could possibly go wrong?**

* * *

 _"We're kids, aren't we? Yes, kids with grown-up powers." - Lang Leav_

* * *

 **Tattoos, Twins and Trouble**

After weeks of Meredy badgering them to go out and have an evening to themselves, Jellal and Erza finally gave in with defeated sighs. She had that way about her, able to trade in her sweet and bubbly nature for stern and persuasive in a flash of pink.

As parents of three, the couple found it hard to engage in other activities that didn't revolve solely around the kids, so when Meredy once again offered to babysit the children for the night, her arms crossed over her chest and her face solemn, they finally decided it really was an opportunity too good to let pass by.

The two walked hand in hand through the front gate of their home, all smiles after having had a terrific dinner together. In a way, Erza had forgotten what it was like to go to a high end restaurant, having known nothing but pizza places and kiddy meals for the last few years. Putting on a silky dress, letting down her hair and sitting across from a smart and handsome blue haired man almost seemed foreign to her. She had missed this.

Tenderly, her fingers roved over his knuckles as she let her head fall against his shoulder. "It was so kind of Meredy to babysit the kids for us. I feel like we haven't had an evening alone in so long."

"Four months, two weeks and four days to be exact." Jellal chuckled dryly.

"They've kept us busy, haven't they?" she mused with a light laugh.

"Indeed, they have."

They stopped outside the front door, Erza turning to face her husband with a warm smile gracing her features. He smiled back, his hand never leaving hers as he ducked his head, letting blue locks fall over his eyes and frame his face in just the way she always found so enticing and dangerously attractive about him.

He murmured her name in his low voice, sending a shiver up her spine. No one else could ever say it the way he did; it made her heart hammer in her chest every time. He cupped the side of her face, bringing her closer to him, merely inches apart. Her own hands reached up to touch, fingers threading through the blue hair at the nape of his neck as she held his steady gaze with her own.

Once more, her name rolled off his tongue like a spell, falling off his lips and onto hers as they sealed the end of their perfect evening with a kiss. His mouth slanted over hers and as they stood outside their house, Erza couldn't help but feel like she was in her early twenties again, as though she was reliving all the nights he dropped her off outside Fairy Hills, each goodbye of his laced with lazy goodnight kisses that stole her breath away.

Jellal pulled back, resting his forehead against hers as an amused smile worked its way onto his face. "I think Meredy has suffered enough babysitting them."

"I'm not sure about that," she said, breathless, her gaze trailing from his eyes to his lips and back. "They're good kids."

"You could say that about Violet. The twins though, Erza?" He laughed quietly, his breath ghosting over her lips and tingling her cheek. "I'm surprised the house is still standing in one piece."

"It'll remain standing in the next few minutes as well," she said with a suggestive smile, her mouth chasing after his.

With a low hum, he indulged her with another kiss, wrapping his arms around her and letting everything else just fade away for another few fleeting moments.

But then, all too suddenly, Jellal pulled away once again, his brow furrowing. His eyes focused on the living room window with growing concern. "Erza, did you hear that?"

"What is it?" She stepped back with a frown, her gaze following his warily.

For a few moments, silence flattened between them until Erza's ears pricked at the sound of their daughter's voice booming through the stillness. "Jam! Eli! Stop it! I'm gonna tell mom on you two!"

"Meredy is there to keep an eye on them…" Erza said, mustering up her most calm tone, though even she had to admit, she didn't sound very convincing.

Meredy was a skilled mage, there was no denying that. She was more than capable of taking care of a few children. Really, there was nothing to be concerned about. She should have that much faith in her.

"Put the markers _down!_ Mom and dad aren't going to be happy when they get back—"

Except these children were not ordinary children. They were the children of a fiery armour mage and a previously escaped convict. What had they been thinking letting Meredy babysit them? She had no chance to begin with; she was practically an overgrown child herself.

Jellal and Erza exchanged panicky glances.

"Erza—"

"I know."

Erza flung open the front door, Jellal following behind as she marched along the hallway to the living room, high heels making angry clip-clop noises against the hardwood.

" _What_ is going on here?"

She froze in her tracks.

The walls had been stained from white to crimson, incoherent red squiggles and scrawls doodled everywhere their small hands could reach, marker pens thrown on the ground and their caps long gone along with Erza's patience.

"What exactly—"

"Mom! Dad!" Violet, their eldest, ran towards them, her purple ponytail swinging wildly behind her as she hugged her parents. "Finally, you're home!"

Jellal's brows shot up, his eyes travelling from one wall to the next. "Seems as though someone has turned our house into an art studio."

"And I have a feeling I know who was responsible." Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously.

All gazes shifted to the twin boys, their small figures covered in bright red from the scarlet of their hair to their matching red pyjamas, not to mention the scribbles etched onto every visible portion of their skin.

Jamie and Elijah had their hands behind their backs, eyes wide and guilty as they passed a red marker back and forth between them as though trying to pass off the blame on one another.

The marker fell to the floor with a deafening clatter.

Erza's eyes travelled from the marker to them. She peered at them suspiciously. "Mind explaining what happened here? Why are you both covered from head to toe in red marker?"

Upon hearing no explanation, she sighed in a defeated motherly ' _what am I going to do with you kids'_ way, stepping aside from Violet to crouch in front of the twins.

She turned to Elijah first, her fingers gently wiping at his face. She hoped the marks weren't too hard to wash off. They had Natsu and Lucy's anniversary dinner to attend to later this week and no child of hers would show up looking like a red scribble monster.

But then she paused, her gaze landing on Elijah's right eye. Different from the rest of the aimless scrawls of his body, this one seemed to have more detail as though he had tried drawing a specific design.

Understanding beginning to flicker across her eyes, she swept a hand under the red locks framing his face, pushing them back so she could take a closer look at the drawing above and below his right eye.

"Jam said he was more like dad than I was because their names both start with the same letter," Elijah said, his lip jutting out in a shamefaced pout as he looked down at his feet, "but I wanted to be like dad too so I—"

Erza's face softened. "So you were trying to draw dad's red tattoo, weren't you?"

He nodded, tears welling in his eyes. "It didn't turn out very good though."

"What are you talking about? I think it turned out perfectly." Jellal crouched in front of Elijah, taking the boy into his arms as a warm smile broke out on his face. Laughing, he pushed back his son's scarlet hair along with his own blue hair, revealing the interesting red engraving that was the source of all this commotion. "Almost identical, wouldn't you say, Erza?"

"I agree," she replied, a smile in her voice.

Jamie pushed forward, brushing his own hair back to show his attempt as well. "I did it all by myself too! Look, dad! Just like yours!"

Jellal laughed once more, folding Jamie into his other arm. "It's like looking in a mirror."

Erza crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to the side fondly to watch her three boys laugh and exchange smiles. She couldn't help but smile too, her heart bursting with love for them all as she wrapped an arm around Violet. A night off once in a while was nice but could never amount to the time they cherished together as a family.

"Did you have a good time, mom?" Violet asked, nuzzling into Erza's side. "I tried really hard to look after them for as long as I could."

"Hmm?" Erza raised her eyebrows at her daughter. "My, my. Since when did you become so responsible?"

But then she blinked, her eyebrows knitting together in a frown. "Wait, where's Meredy? She was the one supposedly looking after you."

"Oh, erm—"

Erza squinted. "Violet, where is Aunt Meredy?"

"Upstairs," she squeaked, clasping her hands nervously in front of her chest.

Erza raised a brow before spinning on her heel and marching out into the hallway without another glance back. Like Natsu had a nose for food, she had a nose for trouble. She'd grown up with the likes of Fairy Tail mages after all.

Skipping steps up the stairs, she stuck her head in every bedroom, examining them with sceptical eyes before approaching the final bedroom belonging to the twins.

What could Meredy be doing in there whilst the children wreaked havoc unsupervised downstairs?

Clicking open the door, Erza peered around the doorframe. The room was exactly as she'd expected it to be: toys strewn about, today's clothes thrown on the floor, an empty marker pack abandoned on the desk. Normal for two seven-year-old boys—asides from the pink haired mage sprawled across the bed with both arms spread wide and flat while she snored softly in her sleep.

"Is Meredy in there?" Jellal's voice came from behind and Erza turned to see him approaching her, both boys in his arms playing with tufts of blue hair whilst Violet trailed after them quietly.

"She appears to be asleep," Erza commented as everyone stepped into the room.

Jellal arched a brow. "She snores."

"Yes."

Unable to hold the truth back for any longer, Violet sighed, tugging on Erza's dress with a guilty expression plain on her face. "Jam put a sleeping spell on her."

"I did not!" Jamie immediately protested, puffing out his cheeks. "Liar, liar!"

"You did too! I _saw_ you," Elijah interjected with an accusing finger.

"You saw and _still_ didn't help Aunt Meredy?" said Erza, folding her arms sternly.

"…well, I didn't _really_ see—"

"Where did you learn to use a sleeping spell, Jamie?" Jellal asked, shooting him a puzzled look.

" _You_ , dad!"

Erza's eyes widened to the size of orbs as she spun around on her husband who instantly sweatdropped. " _You taught them Mystogan's sleeping magic?"_

He had indeed.

Jellal opened his mouth to speak, the badly conjured explanation already on the tip of his tongue but instead, a loud yawn filled the growing silence.

They all stiffened upon hearing the sound, the Fernandes family turning to see Meredy sitting up, rubbing her head groggily. She blinked at them once before her eyes widened and heat rushed to her cheeks. Springing to her feet, she rubbed the back of her neck in a sheepish manner. "Oh no…don't tell me I fell asleep on the job! I'm so sorry!"

Jellal and Erza exchanged a quick glance with one other.

"It's quite alright," Erza said, offering her a warm smile while Jellal tilted his head to both sides, gesturing to the twins.

"We've got things under control. Don't worry, Meredy," he said, eyes travelling back to Erza to smile amusedly.

It seemed they were the only two who could handle the Fernandes children.


	10. Home

**A/N: Hey! Well, I'm back with some more Jerza. This chapter is split in two parts, both which I posted for Jerza week! They're not really related in terms of story but the theme of 'home' is the same. Sorry if some of you have already read it but there will be more to come soon enough :)**

 **Also, thank you guys for all the reviews. You're all so kind and lovely and AHHH you really know how to make a person smile.**

* * *

 **Title: Home  
Rating: K  
Summary: Because surprising Erza with his early return was a risk he was willing to take.**

* * *

 _"For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home." - Stephanie Perkins_

* * *

 **Home**

 _ **Part 1**_

He hated surprises. Hated the idea of not knowing what was going to happen, hated the lack of preparedness that followed. He was a smart, logical man and having that hole in his knowledge bothered him almost as much as the name 'blue balls' did. Surprises in battle could cost him his life—surprises with Erza could _also_ cost him his life.

Though, sometimes the opportunity was just too good to let it go amiss.

Jellal Fernandes approached his and Erza's small home quietly, a smile tugging on his lips at the thought of her face upon discovering that he'd finished his mission earlier than anticipated. Normally, infiltration missions could take up to several months to carry out but with a stroke of luck and undeniable skill, he'd found himself returning to his wife in just under two months. Words could not describe how much he'd missed her, but then again the eagerness on his face gave that much away.

Crouching down into the crisp grass, he tiptoed across the side of the house, making sure to duck under any windows in case she happened to be looking there. With a devious smile working on his lips, he pulled up the hood of his cloak. If he was to surprise Erza, he didn't want his shock of familiar blue hair giving him away. And with that, he sinisterly slinked towards the back door of their kitchen, as unnoticeable as a moving shadow.

The door opened with a soft click and Jellal froze for a fraction of a second. He had a hunch that it would be unlocked during this time of day but was Erza currently in the room he was trying to sneak into?

Cautiously, he eased himself inside, sure to stop just before the door would have creaked and ruined his surprise.

But much to his relief, she wasn't there. He had made it into the kitchen successfully, no signs of red anywhere aside from one lone bowl of strawberries perched on the kitchen counter. It seemed as though the strawberries she had so lovingly planted in their garden had finally begun to ripen. Jellal smiled at the sight, strolling over to the bowl and inspecting one before popping it into his mouth and creeping towards the living room, careful to keep his steps light and low.

He knew her as well as the back of his hand. If she wasn't whipping up lunch in the kitchen at this time, she had to be carrying out her daily tidying of the house and sure enough, as he approached the room, his ears pricked at the sound of her voice singing loudly and tunelessly over the noise of the vacuum.

The fear of being caught long gone—along with his sense of hearing—he leaned against the doorframe and watched her with amused eyes.

Her hair was tied up in a loose ponytail, ribbons of red swaying in wild motions back and forth as she swung the vacuum over the carpet mercilessly, as if it were being punished for getting itself messy in the first place. Her voice climbed an octave as she neared the chorus of whatever gibberish she was singing and she belted out the next words with such raw feeling, Jellal was surprised to see their windows still in one piece.

But _God_ , he loved her.

With a dry chuckle, he realised she was completely oblivious of his presence and so, Jellal took his chance, striding towards her in lazy steps, a smile on his lips as he stood behind her, folding her into his arms.

Erza immediately stopped singing, her words trailing off midsentence into silence as she stiffened under his touch. Her arms glided over his smoothly before tightening like a vice. Before he could register her reaction, he had been flipped over and flung to the ground in a flash, landing with a crash and a shocked grunt.

Dazedly, he brushed locks of blue out of his eyes only to look up and see Erza's silver sword putting him in a compromising situation, the tip pointed directly to his neck.

It seemed _she_ had surprised him in the end.

As quickly as she'd mistook him for an intruder and unsheathed her sword was as quickly as the weapon disappeared into nothingness when realisation flickered across her eyes.

She gasped, clicking the vacuum off and falling to her knees beside him. "Jellal! It's _you._ "

He sat up, rubbing his head groggily before shooting her a look of feigned hurt. "Well, I missed you too, Erza."

Once again, her arms tightened around him but this time, in a loving—albeit crippling—embrace that managed to squeeze an amused laugh out of him. He hugged her back, one hand wrapped around her, the other threading through locks of red hair.

"I apologise, you caught me off guard," she said before promptly capturing his lips in a kiss, her hands running down the silk of his cloak before entangling in the folds and pulling him closer. "You're home early. I missed you."

"Hm," was all he replied with, letting the silence do the talking as his fingers traced her features gently, as if making sure every detail he had memorised before leaving was in fact still the same, and of course they were. She was still the same fiery redhead he'd fallen for so long ago and the fact his weak attempt at a surprise had been so easily foiled only proved that. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a playful grin. "I suppose I should have foreseen this response of yours."

"You should have, yes."

His smile stretched wider as he tugged on her ponytail fondly. "Though, I must admit, your reaction was quite slow. You're losing your touch."

"I—I couldn't hear your movements over the noise of the vacuum!"

"The _vacuum_?" He raised his brows.

"Yes!"

"Is that so? Even _I_ couldn't hear _myself_ over the sound of your singing…"

With an irritated groan, she shoved him, muttering that she was having second thoughts about missing him, while he simply laughed, pulling her back into his arms to make up for all the times in the past two months that she wasn't.

* * *

 ** _Part 2_**

Home had been a term unfamiliar to him for years.

The darkness had driven it out of him, made him forget. He was robbed of his childhood, past and free will.

Years he spent suffering at the Tower of Heaven, years he spent _ruling_ the Tower of Heaven. Years he spent in prison, years he spent without her.

But she returned into his life, a flash of brilliant scarlet.

The more time he spent around her, the more the word edged itself back into his mind. _Home._ Her by his side made that concept a possibility again, an idea far from unattainable, just within his reach.

Because home was the feel of her hand in his, each reassuring squeeze, each comforting grasp.

Home was laced into every one of her smiles: kind, warm and never once faltering whenever he needed it the most.

It was the softness of her hair, the way each strand of red was different under the glow of the lantern, burning bright, blazing fire—always the colour of her hair.

And home was finding his eyes seeking her out, his thoughts never travelling very far without bumping into a piece of her. It was every single moment spent with her because those moments were hard to come by.

All in all, his home was her.


	11. Ribbons and Rings, Stargazing

**A/N: Hello! I bring forth more Jerza! Two parts, a wedding and a proposal. I probably should have edited these first but I was just _SO EXCITED_ to share them, I skipped that step and jumped straight to posting this. Maybe I'll regret this, maybe I won't xD**

 **Anyway, I really hope you like it and I really hope it's not too cheesy! I'm oddly captivated by the idea of stars so writing this was a lot of fun. Thanks for all your reviews and I look forward to reading more ^.^**

* * *

 **Titles: Ribbons and Rings, Stargazing  
Rating: K+  
Summary: A marriage and a proposal: two memories they would forever cherish.  
**

* * *

 _"I'll throw my voice into the stars and maybe the echo of my words will be written for you in the clouds by sunrise." - Christopher Poindexter_

* * *

 **1) Ribbons and Rings**

His eyes were on her; when were they not?

He watched as she moved towards him slowly, gracefully, walking the last few steps that would close the distance between them and finally entwine them together as husband and wife. She looked almost ethereal, painted in an elegant silk white dotted with ribbons of red. Her hair flowed loosely down her back, the shade matching the bouquet of roses clasped in her hands as she smiled at him.

And of course, he couldn't help but smile back, smiling in the only way he knew how to when it came to all things Erza Scarlet.

They were outside, their friends and families scattered around the field, seated in white plush seats and watching with awestruck expressions as Erza made her way down the aisle, one arm entwined in Natsu's arm, the other in Gray's.

Jellal's lips stretched even wider, the sight bringing hope to his heart and peace to his mind. Momentarily, he had wondered whether the troublesome pair would be able to hold it together long enough for Erza to walk down the aisle without either of them snarling or snatching at each other's collars, but it seemed he had worried about nothing. They were pitching in for her happiness just like everyone else was, and sweeping his eyes over the rest of the reception, he felt warm at the sight of Mirajane singing softly as Gajeel edged closer to the microphone, determined to leave his mark on the wedding—albeit, a scarring one—while Lucy, Juvia and Meredy stood to the side as bridesmaids, tears glistening in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Richard sat in the front row, his shaking figure taking up two seats as buckets poured from his eyes in heavy streams. Bawling, he held onto a protesting Sawyer and Macbeth while Sorano sat with clutched hands, gazing at Erza's dress with stars in her eyes.

She had her family here with her and he had his.

A hefty hand clapped onto his shoulder and Jellal tilted his head slightly to the side to hear what his best man had to say, though his eyes remained on Erza, unable to tear his gaze away.

"You writin' yourself a romance novel up in there, blue balls?" Erik sneered, and Jellal could already imagine his grin: taunting, wolfish with one fang peeking out from under his lip.

Even on his wedding day, there were no exceptions to his guild teasing him.

He chuckled, eyes glinting with amusement. "Is that so wrong?"

"I'll allow it…just for today," Erik replied with a smirk. "But you better not pass out on me. Don't want your ass kicked on the happiest day of your life, do ya?"

With a quick eye-roll aimed towards his best friend, Jellal sighed before finding his gaze wandering back to her.

As she neared him, he caught the smile in her eyes and the colour of her cheeks, kissed red like the petals of a spring rose. Once again, he was reminded of how enticing that colour was on her.

There was a time in his life where he thought he didn't deserve to live, didn't deserve to be happy, didn't deserve _her_. He thought his self-hatred would eventually swallow him whole, leaving him consumed in a pit of darkness, alone.

After all, following the horrors of his past, that was how he'd written off his own story.

But there she was standing in front of him: a plot hole, an unfinished line, the happiest sentence he could ever possibly write.

Never for a second did he think anyone could ever love him, but that was the mistake he'd made. Erza was never just 'anyone' to begin with.

* * *

 **2) Stargazing**

Stood at the edge of a balcony under a sky of midnight velvet, they found themselves side by side, admiring the view before them. The moon hung full and low above them, as if strung in the air by invisible strings, and surrounded by a canvas of blazing stars with the sky so cloudless, the couple could see over the rooftops of almost every building in Magnolia.

Gazing at such a brilliant sight made him feel at peace, made him feel closer to the magic that was coursing through his veins. The usual carousel of worries drifted away, every thought of his laced with the prospect of what he was going to do next.

He'd known for the longest time that Erza would be the woman he'd marry; it was just the case of when. They went together like red and blue, or like strawberries and cream, as she'd say. Whatever the comparative, they were each other's. A 'they', a 'we', an 'us'.

Their hands intertwined and Erza's cheek pressed into his shoulder, Jellal watched the sky in anticipation. It would only be a matter of time before his proposal would come into fruition.

Sneaking a quick glance at Erza, he saw her face tilted up to the stars, the moonlight playing off her features and casting a silver glow around her as her lips lifted up in a wondrous smile, as though she wasn't gazing up at the sky, but at heaven itself.

He wanted to capture the full extent of her reaction when it took place. He wanted her expression imprinted in his memory, a reminiscence he could cherish for the rest of his life.

That's exactly what he got.

All too suddenly, the sky erupted in gold. Magic circles dotted the night sky in various designs and patterns, coming together to form the question that'd been on his mind for so many years. The same question that made his heart leap in his chest, that made him hope for the bright future to come. The one that led his imagination to roam freely through horizons, through the heavenly skies and back to the thought of two of them.

 _Will you marry me?_

Jellal watched with a growing smile as Erza's eyes widened. She looked wonderstruck, staring up at the message with unblinking eyes before her hands flew to her mouth and tears welled in her eyes.

And still, she couldn't tear her gaze away from the one magic that could light up the world.

"Erza," he called to her, as if to break her out of her trance.

Finally, she looked towards him, only to find him inches away, a ruby encrusted ring in his hand, glinting under the light of the moon.

"When—when did you draw those magic circles?" Her voice was unsteady, astounded, and it was so unlike her, he had to fight back the urge to laugh. Of course, he could be standing right in front of her holding an engagement ring and the first thing she'd do was ask him how he'd managed to sneak around her to draw the circles in the first place. So unthinkably Erza of her.

He took another step towards her, closing the distance to press his lips softly against hers.

"Marry me," he told her, pulling back to take in her dazed expression all over again with a smile wide on his lips. "Marry me, Erza."

She didn't know whether to scream yes or to kiss him. Naturally, she opted for both, her voice shaking with laughter as she repeated her answer over and over. After sliding the ring on, she scrunched her fingers up in the folds of his shirt to draw him closer, the same word rolling off her tongue and onto his lips, continuing her sentence with the warmth of her mouth over his.

His fingers found their way into her hair, soft and silky under his touch whilst his other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him. She cupped his jaw, deepening their kiss, and under the weight of her palm, his heart raced fast, drumming in his chest.

Slowly, the message in the sky burst into stars which began to fall, one after another. Picked from the night sky and exploding all around them, they found themselves enveloped in an iridescent shimmer of stardust and glitter, and once again, they were reminded that there was such a thing as pure as magic in the world.

She smiled against his lips before pulling away, tilting her head back to watch as the stars spilled from the sky like threads of gold woven by him. His magic was so beautiful, so breath-taking. She was bound by it, simply enchanted.

When her eyes found his again, he pressed his forehead against hers.

There was so much to say. So much he'd prepared, the words were on the tip of his tongue.

' _When I look at you, I lose myself,'_ he'd say. _'Everything in the past fades away. Every mistake, every impure action, every flaw; they all disappear when I look at you. You make me forget what hating myself feels like and words cannot describe how much I love you, Erza.'_

But he just smiled a smile that said it all. She already knew. She'd always known.


	12. Excluded

**A/N: *shaky laugh*...it's been a while...I CAN EXPLAIN. First I was abroad for two weeks and then I came home, wrote one story...before somehow becoming cursed with writer's block. Because of that, I struggled to write this but I still wanted to update since it had been such a long time! (PS: anyone have a cure to writer's block? Help a fellow writer out xD)**

 **Anyway, I hope you still like this little piece!**

* * *

 **Title: Excluded  
Rating: K  
Summary: Regardless of how late, he was always there in the end.**

* * *

 _"Better late than never."_

* * *

 **Excluded**

In a sea of people, her eyes would always seek him out, even if she knew he wouldn't be there.

Sat in the corner of the guild hall by herself, Erza sipped at her drink, sinking lower into her chair and desperately trying hard to blend into the shadows.

It wasn't that she was unhappy with Elfman and Evergreen's announcement. Their engagement was definitely an event to celebrate, especially after it took Elfman so many years to realise that Evergreen was just the right amount of ' _manly_ ' for him.

What made Erza miserable was that everywhere she looked, all she'd see were happy couples dancing together. Natsu stepping on Lucy's toes, Gajeel swinging Levy round and round, Gray with his face as red as a tomato, being led to the dancefloor for what was the fourth time now by a laughing Juvia.

She, on the other hand—after spinning Kagura so hard that the swordswoman ended up crashing into a dinner table, unable to continue—now sat alone, having nothing better to do than count the number of dances _other_ people were having.

Turning her head slightly to the side, her chin propped on her hand in defeat, she even got a glimpse of Happy and Carla together, swaying side to side with their tails intertwined and their cheeks pressed together.

Much to her chagrin, she realised even the _Exceeds_ were getting more action than she was.

 _Couples everywhere. Singing, dancing, laughing—and yet, he was nowhere to be seen._

Her eyes continued to wander from person to person, in search for that familiar tangle of blue hair.

She didn't know why she was searching for him, why she had thought in the first place that he'd come to the engagement party. He probably had more important matters at hand, like taking down dark guilds and refraining his fellow guild members from killing one another.

Still, as she took another sip of her drink, taking some solace in its sweetness, she couldn't help keep some hope that any moment now, she'd look up and see him, smiling that same easy smile that always pulled her in.

But rather than the blue haired man she'd hoped to see, her eyes found none other than Ichiya instead, dressed in a white suit with his hair sleeked back in a way that had her wondering whether someone had cracked a dozen eggs on his head or if he had stolen Gray's whole supply of hair gel.

Ichiya had his eyebrows raised and his nose pointed up in the air, undoubtedly attempting to sniff her parfum from the other side of the room. And somehow, the sight of him puckering his lips and flashing bedroom eyes in her direction had her dinner rising all the way back up her throat.

Erza jerked her head away, quickly downing the remainder of her drink and thinking to herself how she was better off alone than in the arms of _Ichiya._

Heaving a sigh, she got to her feet, easing the trembling of her fingers by smoothing down her dress and tucking a stray lock of red behind her ear. It was probably best for everyone if she left now, before her feelings of anger and being excluded kicked in. The last thing she needed was a repeat of the Christmas party. She was pretty certain that Elfman and Evergreen wouldn't appreciate the 'Guild Master' game being played at their engagement celebration. In fact, after the mental scarring she probably inflicted on the other guild members the last time they played, she was sure that no one would appreciate it.

Erza tried hard to bite back her frustration, setting her mouth in a tight-lipped smile as she wandered further and further away from the uproar of her friends, out through the doors, up the stairs and onto the balcony where everything was quiet aside from the soft sound of the night breeze in the air.

She took a deep breath, taking in the calmness, the silence— _the lack of_ _couples dancing around, singing about their everlasting love—_ and finally felt at peace. If he didn't show up, she knew it wasn't because he didn't want to see her. He'd have a reason, and it'd be a good one, because every moment they spent together was cherished by them both.

It was cool outside, the hairs on her arms sticking upright. As she took another step forward, leaning over the balcony railing, the wind whistled around her, picking up her hair and dress in a way that made her feel as though she could spread her arms and fly off into the night sky at that very moment if she wanted to.

She didn't mind waiting, not when the wait was for him.

And so she continued to look out over the rooftops and buildings, her mind buzzing with thoughts of where he was, what he was doing, whether he was thinking about her too.

Maybe he was.

"Sorry, I'm late…" a voice came from behind her, low and amused; a voice she never had trouble recognising.

Erza smiled to herself, her heart catching in her chest. Turning around slowly, she brushed back her windswept hair, giving him a glimpse of that very smile that had now spread wide across her face. "Jellal—you came."

He stood just metres away, dressed smartly in a black suit and tie with his face hidden behind a masquerade mask, though it didn't do much in concealing his identity; she could never mistake the blue of his hair.

He walked over to her, one hand dipped into his pocket, the other reaching up to lift the mask off of his face. He smirked. "Jellal? Who's that?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. "I'm just your fellow guild member, Mystogan."

Erza shot him a sceptical look, rolling her eyes. " _Mystogan_ wouldn't ever reveal his face," she said, flicking the mask down again.

Chuckling, Jellal slipped the mask off once and for all, placing it on the balcony railing before turning back to Erza with a playful gaze. "It's a shame, really. He's quite the handsome guy, wouldn't you say?"

Arms folded, she raised a disapproving eyebrow. "He's _late_ is what he is."

"I had some trouble finding a babysitter who could handle Meredy, Erik and the others," Jellal said, grinning. "I apologised, didn't I?"

"You did," Erza replied, squinting at him.

"And you forgive me, don't you?"

She sighed, her face softening and lips twitching into a smile. "I do."

"And that's another reason why I love you," Jellal told her, pulling her towards him to plant a soft kiss on her head. "You know when to forgive and forget."

Erza hummed against his chest, losing herself in the steady beat of his heart. "And I love _you_ because regardless of how late you are, which you are a lot of the time, you're always there in the end."

"Hm." He considered this for a moment. "Is that a backhanded compliment? Should I be insulted?"

She laughed, reaching up to lace her arms around his neck. "I missed you."

Jellal smiled at her words, dipping down for a kiss which she eagerly returned. Her hands were cold as they toyed with the blue hair at the nape of his neck, but her lips were warm and soft under his own, a small reminder of what it was like whenever he was with her, and what he was missing when they went their separate ways again.

It would always hit him suddenly, how much he missed her. Sometimes, when he'd be lying in bed awake, no one to talk to, no one to hold, and there would be a small ache in his chest because the nights spent with her were the best, and the bed was always a little colder without her there. Other times, a stray strand of scarlet found on the shoulder of his cloak would be all it took to remind him that she wasn't by his side, that he couldn't see her whenever he wanted to.

These moments they shared were hard to come by. They were just short one-liners in a book that hadn't even been opened halfway yet. But still, they were _their_ moments.

"I missed you too," he told Erza, holding her a little tighter.


	13. One Simple Way

**A/N: Well...it's been a long while since I've updated this fic. Sorry about that! So, this is my first Jerza fic in 6 months (yikes) and writing this made me realise how much I miss Jerza and their interactions. Patiently (impatiently) waiting for them to meet again in the manga, sigh. Hope you like it!**

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 **Title: One Simple Way**  
 **Rating: T**  
 **Summary: Their training sessions always ended in a way that made it hard for them to define a winner. [Jerza, timeskip]**

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 _"Your smile is my only weakness."_

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 **One Simple Way**

Every now and then, the two would spar against one another—purple loops of magic spiralling towards her in a blur, swords slashing upwards to halt his quickened movements.

Erza's back was taut, arms poised in self-defence as she dodged another one of Jellal's attacks, this one by just a hair's breadth.

"That was close," he said between breaths, watching her straighten up. "Too close."

"But still not close enough to land a hit," she replied with a wink.

"Even so…" Jellal smirked back from across the room, voice teasing. "Perhaps you're losing your touch."

Erza raised her brows at that, glare fixated on him. "Oh?" With a roll of her shoulders, she flexed her fingers, weighing the sword in her right hand, the familiar metal hilt cold to the touch.

Ever since Fairy Tail's disbandment, she'd found herself at Crime Sorciere, in his company. The sparring she'd have back at the guild with the likes of Mira and Natsu continued on with her new guildmates—testing limits, finding ways to better themselves by learning through others.

Though, none of the other training sessions had ever held the same level of interest for her as her sessions with Jellal.

Each fight of theirs was different.

Sometimes he would win, sometimes she would win.

Faster than he could have blinked, swiftly and lightly, she sped forward with her sword, the magic simmering in her blood and pumping through her veins as she appeared in front of him. With a grunt, she grabbed his arms, her hands coiling into the folds of his cloak as she pushed him up against the wall.

And throughout, Jellal made no move to stop her, a smile pulling at his lips as she raised the sword, levelling the blade evenly and unwaveringly at his neck, just as she would do with any opponent, just as she had been doing for so many years.

"Losing my touch, am I?" she asked, one eye hidden behind a curtain of red hair, the other watching him closely.

His smile widened, amused. From underneath blue hair, he watched her too: staring hard, eyes roving over her features, focusing in on her lips before flicking back up to meet her gaze.

"Not even in the slightest," he said.

She took a step closer to him, pressing her body against his, the shafts of sunlight streaming in through the nearby window casting a glow on the blade that was angled horizontally at his throat—the only thing between them.

Her heart was a rapid drumbeat in her chest as she raised herself on her tiptoes, mouth parted and lips hovering inches away from his.

Each fight of theirs was different.

Sometimes he would win, sometimes she would win.

Though, other times, there were no winners.

It would all end in but one simple way.

Her sword fell to the floor with a clatter as she closed the distance between them, crashing her mouth onto his. The training session drifting away, Erza's hands smoothed over his arms, working upwards to his biceps and broad shoulders before circling around his neck, drawing him even closer.

Slowly, his fingers threaded through her hair before running up and down her back, each touch of his setting her on fire from the inside out and reminding her once more why training with Jellal was the most interesting pastime of all at Crime Sorciere.

"Erza…" He pulled away momentarily, whispering her name, prolonging each letter like it was a spell rolling off his tongue. "I have to say, I'm really unsure as to who won that match."

Erza laughed, pressing her forehead against his. "Hm, I think I did this time round."

"Really?" He dipped down again, kissing her with the kind of firm passion that made her head feel light. "Because I'd say I won."

His smirk told her everything she needed to know.

"Is that so?" she said, breathlessly smiling back before sinking into him once more.


End file.
